Missed SwanQueen Moments S4
by SwanQueenUK
Summary: A collection of sexy SwanQueen one shots all starting with a single line of dialogue from OUAT. This fic will contain one chapter for each episode of Season 4, attempting to show how many opportunities were missed on the show to make SwanQueen canon. Rated M for a reason folks! Updated regularly.
1. 04-01 - A Tale of Two Sisters

A/N: I'm back again! Another SwanQueen one-shot insert for every episode of Once Upon a Time to prove how many opportunities our show's creators had to make this couple canon. Each starts with a single line of dialogue from the show itself. Most will be NSFW but each chapter will have a warning anyway. Let's kick things off with one of the most heartbreaking Regina scenes ever .. enjoy! NSFW, obviously!

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"Well your intentions really don't matter," Regina scoffed, levelling the blonde before her with a steely gaze. "Because once again I feel the brunt of heroism. Always the villain, even when I'm not."

"My intentions?" Emma said, anger rising inside her. "You don't know the first thing about my intentions. And if you did, I think you might change your perspective."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Regina asked, running her fingers through her hair before folding her arms tightly across her chest.

Emma glanced back at the diner where she could see Robin, Hook and Marian walking towards the door.

"Not here," she said, turning back to Regina. "Can you take us somewhere so we can talk?"

Regina narrowed her eyes but at the pleading, almost desperate look on Emma's face, she sighed and flicked her wrist, purple smoke enveloping the pair as the small search party spilled onto the steps outside Granny's.

Emma blinked as she looked around and was almost surprised when she realised Regina had magicked the pair of them into her own kitchen on Mifflin Street. Regina tugged off her scarf and walked straight to a cupboard, grabbed a wine glass and turned back to Emma with a bottle of red in her hand she had picked up from the counter.

"Do you want one?" she asked.

"Do you have any beer?" Emma asked.

"Robin probably has some in the fridge," Regina nodded. "Help yourself. I doubt he'll be coming back now his wife's alive and kicking."

Emma said nothing. Instead, she walked over to the large fridge and opened it, scanning the full shelves quickly before she located a bottle of specialty British ale and took it out. When she turned back around Regina was holding a bottle opener and Emma thanked her before popping off the cap and following the brunette wordlessly into the lounge.

"So," Regina began as she settled herself on her favourite armchair, nursing her wine glass carefully between both hands. Emma sat on the sofa, awkwardly upright, and took a long drink from her beer.

"So," Emma nodded.

"What did you mean?" Regina asked when it became apparently Emma wasn't going to say more. "When you said I didn't know what your intentions were? Did you mean to bring back Marian and ruin my happy ending?"

"No," Emma said quietly. "I didn't have a clue who she was, Regina. I promise you that. And my intentions towards her were nothing more than saving her life. But now I know who she is, I'd still do the same thing."

Regina frowned. "So even knowing that saving one life of a woman who was supposed to die years ago would destroy my life I've worked so hard to build, you'd still bring her back? You'd consciously choose to take away my happy ending from me."

"No!" Emma exclaimed. "That's not … I didn't mean … Shit."

Emma put her beer on the table and covered her face in her hands. Regina glowered as she leaned forwards to slide a coaster under the bottle before any condensation could drip onto her table before sitting back and waiting for the blonde to find the words she was evidently struggling with.

After over a minute Emma took a deep breath and looked up at Regina.

"Robin isn't your happy ending, Regina."

"What?" Regina frowned. "And what would you know about my happiness?"

"Not as much as I'd like," Emma said, emboldened already now she had begun to speak freely. "But I know Robin didn't make you as happy as you deserve to be. I know you still had doubts about his commitment to you, doubts which I suppose have been confirmed this evening. You deserve someone who loves you unconditionally, Regina. With all their heart."

"Oh really?" Regina asked, draining her wine glass and placing it beside Emma's beer. "And who might that be?"

"Me."

It was one word. One tiny, whispered word. But the atmosphere in the room changed completely. Regina's mouth opened in shock as she slowly realised what Emma had been trying to tell her. Everything began to make sense. The way Emma looked at her, their evolving friendship and how close they were becoming, the powerful magic they had achieved together.

"You love me?" Regina breathed after a long pause.

"Yes," the blonde replied simply, her green eyes burning with determination as she watched Regina's reaction. "I have for a long time. I was going to tell you, in fact, just before Pan's curse but then, well, you know what happened. And then when Hook brought me back everything was just so confusing and by the time I had my head straight you were with Robin and I'd missed my chance. But I'm here now, Regina. I know it's bad timing and I know you're sad about Robin but I had to tell you how I feel."

"What about Hook?" Regina asked.

"What about him?" Emma said, a little defensive.

"I saw you, Emma," Regina said. "I saw you two kissing outside Granny's. Robin and I walked past on our way to collect Roland and I was about to say hello but I realised you were … busy. Do you not love Hook?"

"Love?" Emma laughed. "No, Regina, I don't. I'm gay, for starters. And that kiss was just … a thank you. It was what he had wanted all along and I gave it to him, right before I told him I wasn't interested in men and went inside to find you. Well, to introduce you to Marian because she was scared of you. Again, you know what happened after that."

Regina stood up suddenly, walking over to her drinks cabinet and pouring herself a glass of apple cider. She downed it quickly and poured herself another, leaning heavily on the polished wood with her back to Emma as her brain whirred.

"Regina?"

The gentle voice didn't make her jump but the hands on her hips did. Emma's fingers held tenderly against her denim and Regina felt her body being slowly turned around until she was facing the blonde. She raised her head slowly, her wary gaze meeting a reassuring smile.

"Regina," Emma repeated, her hands still resting on top of denim-clad hips. "If you don't want this, if you need time to think about what I've told you, that's fine. I'll wait as long as you need. I just had to tell you. I'd kept my feelings to myself for far too long and it wasn't fair to either of us. We could be great together, you and me. We could be each other's happy endings."

Regina's glass thudded dully against the cabinet as she placed it down blindly behind her. With her eyes never leaving Emma's, she leaned forwards tentatively. Emma stayed stock still. Regina's eyelids fluttered closed when her lips brushed over Emma's. It was an almost nothing kiss, a whisper of contact which ended as soon as it had started. But it set Emma's body on fire and when she opened her eyes, Regina saw how the sparkling green orbs had been almost eclipsed by black arousal.

The second kiss was more confident. Regina pressed her lips more firmly against Emma's, the lack of bristles a pleasant change from what she was used to. Fingertips dug into her hips as Emma fought to control herself as their mouths slowly began to move, Regina's upper lip sliding between Emma's as she sucked the blonde's lower lip into her mouth. Emma whimpered, her body thrumming.

The moment Regina's arms came to wrap around Emma, the blonde's control broke. She pushed Regina back against the cabinet, her hips pinning the brunette to the wood as her hands began to slide up Regina's sides, beneath the black leather and over the woollen top. She could feel Regina's body heat radiating against her palms as her mouth opened and willingly accepted Regina's questing tongue.

Regina shuddered as she felt Emma's hands caressing her body. Even through clothing the touch of the other woman turned her on. Her tongue explored Emma's mouth, battling briefly with Emma's before the blonde acquiesced. Regina settled into her movements, running her tongue teasingly over Emma's lip before capturing it between her teeth and nibbling lightly. Emma groaned and rocked her hips against Regina's.

"Not here," Regina murmured as Emma's hands began to push at the jacket.

Emma stepped away at once, her breathing heavy.

"No, no," Regina assured, reaching for Emma's hands. "I didn't mean I don't want this. Just … not up against my drinks cabinet. I think we deserve a little more than that."

Before Emma could ask anything, purple smoke filled her vision and seconds later she was in what she could only assume was Regina's bedroom.

"What do you mean by we?" Emma asked as soon as the final wisps of magic disappeared.

"Me and you," Regina replied simply as she sat down on the end of her bed, shrugging off her jacket.

"But what does that mean?" Emma asked, sitting beside Regina and reaching for her hand.

"You think you were the one who waited too long?" Regina asked. "I knew I'd fallen for you mere weeks after you came to Storybrooke. But I was scared not only about what that might mean but at how close you and Henry were becoming. I thought you might use my love for you as a way to get Henry. My mother always taught me love was weakness. So I bottled it up. I forced my emotions back down and I pretended they didn't exist. I succeeded too, for a long time. Until tonight."

Emma said nothing. Instead, she cupped Regina's cheek, pulling her in for a sweet kiss.

"No more hiding," Emma said when they broke apart. "No more denying."

Regina nodded her agreement before her hands moved towards Emma. She began to push at the soft brown leather and the blonde quickly got the hint. She stood, shucking the jacket to the floor before pulling Regina to her feet too. Emma's polo neck and Regina's sweater quickly ended up tossed aside, leaving Regina in a lacy black bra and Emma in her usual tank top. Their eyes roved over the other before Regina reached for the hem of Emma's top and tugged it off. The white bra beneath was nothing special but Regina didn't care. They embraced again, their almost bare torsos crushed together as their hands caressed backs and sides, scratching delicately at soft skin and eliciting moans of pleasure.

Regina wasn't a fan of skinny jeans before Emma came to town but after noting, consciously or subconsciously, how good the blonde's ass looked in them, she had purchased a few pairs for herself. The only problem was that they were notoriously difficult to take off. It probably would have been a funny sight, the two women sat on the edge of Regina's bed, both wrestling with their own jeans in an effort to rid themselves of the material quickly. The more practiced Emma finished first and helped Regina tug hers over her feet soon after.

From her position kneeling on the floor in front of the brunette, Emma looked up at Regina and smiled.

"You're gorgeous," she said, her eyes roving over the olive skin before her.

"So are you," Regina replied, reaching down and pulling Emma up.

They crawled up the bed together, Emma above Regina, until the brunette's head hit the pillow and she flipped them. Emma landed on her back, impressed and aroused as Regina straddled her, rocking her hips slightly against Emma's toned stomach.

"Have you -?"

"-been with a woman before? Yes," Regina nodded. "Sexuality in the Enchanted Forest is far less structured than it is here."

Emma grinned, pulling Regina's mouth down to her in a passionate clash of teeth and tongue. Regina's hands edged beneath Emma, releasing her bra and moving back to pull the material away. As soon as it was gone, Regina's mouth quested downwards. She laid a trail of kisses over Emma's collarbone, her teeth nibbling lightly until she reached the hardened bud of Emma's right breast. She ran her tongue teasingly around the areola before flicking the tip. Emma arched into the touch, her hands fisting in the bedding and a cry ripped from her lips as Regina's hot mouth finally enveloped her nipple. She threaded her fingers in Regina's hair, pulling the older woman closer to her. It was divine. It was everything she had ever wished for. But she needed more.

"Regina," Emma said, panting slightly.

"We've waited long enough?" Regina asked as she looked at Emma.

The blonde nodded, grateful Regina understood what she needed. She moved herself up the bed, propping her back against the plush pillows as she watched Regina tug her cotton underwear down her leg. She let her thighs fall apart, unabashedly looking at Regina and smirking. Regina returned her smile before lying in the gap between Emma's legs, her hands coming to rest on the tops of her thighs as she breathed in the scent of the blonde for the first time.

Regina was just as impatient as Emma and soon her tongue was running slowly through the blonde's folds. Emma shuddered in delight as the tip ghosted over her hardened clit, Regina's fingernails digging into her bare skin as she lapped again, gathering Emma's essence on her tongue. Covering Emma's clit with her mouth, she sucked gently, causing a moan to fall from Emma's lips. She grinned into the delectable sex before her and sucked harder, two fingers from her hand moving down to probe at Emma's entrance.

The rocking up of Emma's hips encouraged Regina not to hesitate, burying her fingers deep inside the wet heat of Emma's core. She groaned herself as she felt the muscles clamp around her fingers, the slick walls like velvet as she began to thrust.

"Yes," Emma hissed as Regina's teeth grazed over her clit before a tongue soothed the nerves.

Regina thrust harder, her fingers pushing deeper as Emma's hips canted to meet her, perfectly in sync. Emma's fingers tweaked her own nipples, drawing her closer to the edge as Regina's mouth began to work harder. She sucked and laved, nibbled and licked, coiling Emma's arousal to its highest level before a particularly hard suck and a strong, deep thrust sent her tumbling over the edge, Regina's name echoing off the bedroom walls.

Regina loved satisfying women. She was reminded in that moment just how much as she looked up Emma's body, the woman's flushed chest rising and falling as she recovered from her orgasm. Regina crawled up her body, kissing the sweaty skin as she did so until she was lying completely on top of Emma.

"You're good," Emma murmured as she felt Regina nuzzling her neck with soft kisses.

"And you're delicious," Regina replied, moving to kiss Emma's mouth and sharing her essence.

Emma's tongue tasted herself on Regina's lips and she felt her arousal build again. Already, she wanted more. But not until Regina was satisfied. She could already feel the woman's wet sex against her thigh through her lace thong. Reaching down, she pushed the scrap of material down, Regina kicking it off her foot at the end. Bracing the leg Regina was straddling, Emma shifted the hard muscle upwards slightly and was rewarded with a moan into her mouth. Regina rocked herself a little, biting Emma's lip as she felt her clit rub slickly against Emma's powerful leg.

"Don't move," Regina panted as she rocked harder.

She was already so turned on from pleasuring Emma that she knew it wouldn't take long to push her over the edge. Emma's hands slid down her back to grasp her ass, helping her ride backwards and forwards on her thigh as juices from Regina's cunt slicked the skin even more. Emma bit back a groan as she felt the wetness coating her leg. She had never been more aroused in her life.

Regina came with a short cry, her back arching away from Emma who leaned up to latched her mouth onto the still bra-clad breasts, sucking on the taut nipples beneath. Regina collapsed back onto Emma and the blonde slowly relaxed her thigh.

"You ok?" Emma asked. Regina nodded. "Ready to go again?"

"Already?" Regina asked, her eyes closed.

"I haven't tasted you yet," Emma reminded her. "But I can't wait to see how wet you are after you just fucked yourself on my leg."

Regina didn't even blush, unashamed in how she had achieved her dirty little orgasm. Instead, she rolled off Emma and spread her legs wide.

"Go ahead, Saviour," she said, watching with dark eyes as Emma crawled down the bed and threw herself on her glistening sex.


	2. 04-03 - Rocky Road

A/N: this episode oneshot was awkward in every way imaginable to write. Also, ep 2 was woefully Regina-less so no insert for that, sorry!

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"Well, between the snow monster and the cave-in, it seems like the Saviour needs saving these days," Regina remarked before she turned back to Marian.

"Do you want to be my back up?" Emma asked challengingly.

Regina paused. "Sure," she nodded, standing up and walking quickly away from Marian and leaving Robin standing beside his frozen wife.

Just as they passed through the door, Hook caught Emma's arm.

"Do you want me to come too?" he asked, his blue eyes worried.

"I'll be fine with Regina," Emma replied shortly before slipping out of his grasp and leading the way from the mayoral office.

They walked in silence out of the town hall until they got to the car park. Both looked around, wondering where to start their search for the second ice wielding magical power source.

"Let's take the cruiser," Emma said, pulling the keys to the sheriff's car from her jacket and leading the way over to the car. Regina followed, wordlessly climbing inside.

They drove for a little while, Emma deciding they ought to start at the ice wall since that was the only other example of magic they knew of which could act as a clue for who had cursed Marian.

"Why didn't it work?" Regina asked after a long silence.

"What?" Emma said, glancing over at the brunette who was staring out of the window at the Storybrooke forest flashing past.

"The kiss," she replied. "Robin's kiss should have woken Marian. What David said about the ice being a barrier doesn't make sense. Gold, sure, it's a substance. But the cold hasn't taken over her skin yet. Robin's kiss wasn't working against an icy barrier. It just … didn't wake her."

"I think you know why that is," Emma said quietly after a pause.

"Me."

Emma nodded but said nothing. They kept driving until the ice wall loomed into view. A dwarf was patrolling along its length and he nodded curtly as the two women stepped from the car before he continued into the forest and out of sight.

Regina walked up to the wall, running her hand over the ice and trying to sense the magical power who had conjured it. Spells and curses left traces, clues as to who cast them and Regina was focusing hard on identifying any unusual marks. Emma watched her work, knowing her own understanding of magic was too limited to be of any value to Regina.

"Anything?" she asked when Regina climbed back down from a ledge and onto the road once more.

"Nope," Regina replied. "I have no idea who created this but I can confirm it wasn't Elsa."

"I told you that already," Emma pointed out.

"Well, I had to make sure," Regina snapped back. "You seem a little infatuated with our new visitor and I wouldn't have been surprised to learn that her blue eyes and blonde hair had blinded you to the truth."

Emma scoffed. "Hardly," she said. "Elsa isn't my type."

"No, apparently you prefer scruffy, ill-mannered one-handed pirates," Regina said, stalking back to the car and climbing into the passenger seat.

"Nah, not really into that either," Emma replied as she followed.

"You should probably let Hook know then," Regina sneered as Emma sat down beside her. "That man pines after you in the most pathetic way."

"It's not his fault," Emma sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I didn't realise True Love could be one sided. If I had, I would have made sure to keep him at bay from the start."

"Oh, True Love is a tricky beast," Regina nodded. "And the worst thing is that it can be unrequited."

"Like Robin's love for Marian?" Emma asked. "Or like Robin's for you?"

Regina's eyes widened as she turned to stare at Emma. How did the blonde know that when even Robin hadn't picked up on anything? She supposed there was no sense in lying now, given the younger woman was clearly more perceptive than Regina gave her credit for.

"The latter," she admitted quietly.

"But you know who your True Love is," Emma prompted. Regina nodded. "Are you going to act on it?" Regina shook her head. "Why not?"

Regina looked away from Emma and wiped her prickling eyes quickly, determined not to let the other woman see her crying.

"Regina." A hand landed on her arm, the touch warm and reassuring.

The brunette turned slowly back, her heart in her mouth as she wondered how much Emma had guessed about what she felt, what she knew to be true. The atmosphere in the car was heavy with anticipation, both women aware that their lives were possibly about to change forever.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Emma asked, breaking the silence. "I mean, how long have you known?"

"Since we destroyed the trigger together in the mines," Regina admitted. "That kind of combined magic is … rare. I knew then that there was something between us, a connection of sorts. And then when we moved the moon …,"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Emma asked.

"Tell you what?" Regina scoffed. "That we're True Loves? That we're destined to be together? That what you feel for Hook isn't half as powerful as what your soul feels for me, even if you don't know anything of it yet?"

"Yeah," Emma nodded. "Or something like that. And as for what I feel for Hook, I knew it wasn't anything serious. He's far more invested in our relationship than I am and I hate myself for that but it's the truth. Anyway, if you knew we were True Loves, why start anything with Robin?"

"Because you had Hook," Regina snapped. "You seemed happy with him so I knew I had to move on."

"You can't move on from True Love," Emma pointed out. "It's the most powerful magic."

"And as a result of that, I've been miserable for two years," Regina said.

"And I've been happy?"

"You seemed it," Regina countered.

"I would have been happier with you."

There was a heavy silence, brown eyes locked on green as both women tried to decide what their next move would be.

"I might not have know it was True Love," Emma began, "but I knew I felt something powerful for you ever since we met. When you ran out of your house towards our son and you hugged him, my heart skipped a beat. I wanted to get to know you, I wanted to be your friend, I wanted you in my life. And then, what with everything which transpired between us, those feelings got all twisted up into anger and distrust. But they were strong feelings, Regina. Everything I feel for you, good or bad, is intense."

"That's the connection," Regina explained. "True Love heightens everything. It's part of the magic."

"Except our perception," Emma joked. "If we've both felt like this, how have neither of us picked up on the other's emotions? How many years have we wasted, Regina?"

"Too many," Regina replied.

"I don't want to waste another second."

Emma leaned in towards Regina and kissed her soundly. Regina's hands cupped Emma's cheeks at once, angling the blonde's mouth as her tongue slid along the seam of her lips, prying it open slightly. Emma whimpered as the tip of Regina's tongue entered her own mouth, the taste of the older woman more delectable than she would ever have imagined. She moved closer, shifting in her seat and placing her hands on Regina's hips, drawing the other woman's body to her. Regina's hands threaded through blonde hair, the strands silky and smooth beneath her fingertips.

"Wait," Emma said, breaking the kiss and panting slightly.

Regina moved back at once, wiping the traces of smudged lipstick from around her mouth.

"I need to talk to Hook," Emma said. "I'm not a cheater and even if I was never particularly committed to our relationship, I owe it to Killian to end things before anything more happens between us."

"I understand," Regina said, sitting a little straighter in her seat. "Shall we get back to searching for this mystery ice wielder?"

"In a minute," Emma said.

She reached over and turned Regina's face gently towards her. Their lips connected once more, the kiss tender and full of promise. Regina moaned as she felt Emma's teeth graze across her sensitive flesh before she sucked her lower lip into her mouth. Arousal coiled low in her belly and she pulled back, knowing they needed to stop before things went too far.

"Sorry," Emma said, smiling almost guiltily. "I couldn't resist."

"Drive, Emma," Regina chuckled. "Before I can't control myself and we end up in the back seat of this car."

Emma's mouth dropped open as she stared at the salacious smirk on Regina's face. She pulled out her phone and texted Killian, saying they needed to talk, before she turned the key and pulled away from the ice wall and headed back towards Storybrooke.


	3. 04-04 - The Apprentice

A/N: So it turns out it's really hard to write a SwanQueen sex scene when the Swan in that equation asks out Hook the very same episodes. Damn shipping a non-canon couple! Plus I don't want to make these women cheat on the men all the time because I just feel bad!

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"I really need to get my own place. Night, guys," Emma said as she walked across the apartment and began to climb the stairs.

As soon as Emma reached the sanctity of her bedroom and closed the door she reached for her phone. She had no wish to recount her evening in any details whatsoever to her mother or father. Unlocking it, she quickly dialled the person she wanted to speak to most.

"How did it go?" Regina asked as soon as she answered. She hadn't exactly been sitting around all evening waiting for Emma's call but perhaps she had made sure several times that her phone was on the loudest setting possible.

"Awful," Emma replied as she began to unzip her dress, the tight material feeling restrictive and oppressive somehow. "I mean, it wasn't awful. Hook did his best to be a gentleman but he still managed to aggressively grab and threaten someone who accidentally spilled my wine in my lap. Oh and he's not Hook any more. Gold reattached his hand so I guess that means he's just Killian."

"Gold kept his hand for all these years?"

Emma could practically hear Regina's nose wrinkling in disgust.

"I know. Gross, right? And yes he did but it's now part of Killian Jones once more."

"And how do you feel about that?" Regina asked.

"Well I still don't want him to touch me," Emma said as she flopped onto her bed in just her underwear, the dress discarded in a pile on the floor. "Even without the hook."

"I still don't quite understand why you asked him on a date in the first place," Regina said.

"I had to give it a try," Emma shrugged. "After over a year of him following me around, I owed him that."

"And now you've tried?" Regina asked.

"Now I guess it's time to tell him I'm not interested," Emma said.

"You're mean," Regina chuckled. "Dressing up like that and taunting the man before letting him down once and for all."

"Dressing up like what?" Emma asked.

There was a silence, Regina realising she'd given away her secret.

"You followed us?"

"I merely happened to pass by the restaurant," Regina defended quickly.

"Stalker," Emma laughed.

"It was a coincidence!" Regina protested.

"No one passes by that restaurant by coincidence," Emma said. "It's at the end of a street which goes nowhere. Come on, Regina, admit you were following me."

"I wasn't!" Regina exclaimed.

Emma just laughed harder, imagining Regina sneaking along the dark street and peering in through the windows of the romantic restaurant.

"What did you think?" Emma asked when she had stopped laughing. "Did I scrub up well?"

"I think you looked far too good to be with that smelly pirate," Regina admitted.

"He made an effort too," Emma said. "But I suppose we did look like a rather odd pairing."

"You could do so much better," Regina said, almost more to herself than to Emma.

"Oh yeah?" Emma said. "And who else in this town is interested in me. August's gone, Neal's dead, there's no one left."

"Perhaps you're narrowing your pool of potential lovers a little," Regina said.

"And I should expand it how?" Emma asked. "Leave Storybrooke? There's a massive ice wall keeping us in this town, unless you've worked out a way to fireball it into oblivion and not told me."

"No, we're still trapped," Regina said. "But I still think you're limiting your options."

"And how do you suppose I widen them?"

"Women."

Emma didn't know quite what she was expecting Regina to say but it certainly wasn't that. The two were certainly close friends, even after Emma had brought Marian back and ruined things between Regina and Robin. Robin. A man. Emma didn't even have the faintest clue that Regina was interested in women, despite the many evenings they had spent drinking and chatting together. But then again, she supposed her past with Lily had never been mentioned either.

"Women?"

"Yes."

"How did you -,"

"It took me a while to notice," Regina said. "But I picked up on the signs."

"What signs?" Emma said, wondering how many other people in Storybrooke knew she was bisexual. It wasn't that she was ashamed in any way but it had been years since she had dated women and she wasn't sure how her sexuality would be accepted by fairytale characters.

"The lingering looks, the slightly glassy stares when you thought I wasn't looking. The fact that you're so tactile and comfortable physically with me."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Emma asked, embarrassed that her attraction to her friend had been so obvious.

"Would it have helped if I had?" Regina asked.

"It depends what you would have said," Emma reasoned. "Why? What would you have said?"

"Something scathing, I'm sure," Regina replied.

"Naturally," Emma chuckled.

"I wanted to say something so many times," Regina said, her voice softer now.

"Why didn't you?"

"Because there was always some worthless man sniffing around you. I didn't want to make a fool of myself by bringing up something which wasn't going to go anywhere."

"You don't know that," Emma said, her voice little more than a whisper. "Think about it, Regina. All those men who were interested in me, they're not around now. I haven't committed to any of them and there's a reason for that."

"And what reason is that?"

"I think you know."

There was a long pause. "Can I come over?"

"Sure," Emma said at once, scrambling off the bed and reaching for a t-shirt to cover herself up. She was too slow however and the plume of purple smoke was already dissipating as her fingers closed on the soft cotton.

"Shit, sorry," Regina said, turning away from an almost naked Emma, her cheeks flushed.

"S'okay," Emma said, tugging the t-shirt hastily over her head and sitting back down on the bed. "I'm decent now."

Regina turned back towards Emma, her movements shy and uncertain after having appeared so quickly and abruptly. She had been so desperate to see the blonde she hadn't even given her time to dress, although Emma hadn't seemed bothered by being caught in just her underwear. On to contrary she was smiling. Emma patted the bed beside her and after a moment's hesitation, Regina made her way across the room and sat down.

"What's happening with you and Robin?" Emma asked. They might have spoken about the fact that she was breaking up with the pirate captain but neither had mentioned the recent rift Marian's return had caused.

"He's with her," Regina shrugged. "His frozen icicle of a wife. He claims he still loves me but he's not leaving her."

"Do you want him to?" Emma asked, her heart beating faster as she realised just how important Regina's answer was to her future. To their future.

"Not now."

"Not now what?"

"Not now the two of us have finally been honest with each other," Regina said, turning her face to look at Emma properly for the first time since she had arrived.

Emma smiled at the brunette, the brown eyes determined and full of fire. Regina smiled back, her scar on her lip deepening as the skin stretched. Emma reached out, the tip of a finger tracing the thin crevice. Regina's breath hitched. Emma's finger slid down Regina's face to her jaw, tenderly encouraging the brunette to move towards her and she leaned the rest of the way in.

The kiss was slow, their lips brushing delicately before pressing a little harder, the soft skin caressing as Emma's hand wrapped around the base of Regina's neck and tugged her nearer. Regina did so, wanting to get as close to Emma as possible as her lips moved, the passion in their kiss escalating quickly. She felt Emma's tongue slide along the seam of her mouth and opened her lips willingly, moaning as she tasted the blonde for the first time. Hints of a sweet desert and a rich red wine lingered in Emma's mouth as they kissed, reminding Regina of where Emma had been earlier that evening and who with. She bit Emma's lower lip, drawing a whimper from the blonde as she pushed Emma back against the pillows, swinging her leg over her body so she sat astride her, hands on sliding up to cup Emma's cheeks.

"Wow," Emma said when they broke for air minutes later. Her hands were resting on Regina's hips, subconsciously pulling the brunette closer to her. Regina smiled down at Emma, her kiss-swollen lips quirking at the corners.

"I suppose I should ask you on a date now," Emma said, her fingertips moving up and beneath Regina's shirt so they ghosted over the smooth skin beneath.

"Oh really?" Regina asked, shuddering a little at Emma's touch. "And why's that?"

"Because if we're going to do this, we're going to do this properly," Emma replied. "And that means I'm taking you out on a date."

"Does that also mean I'm not getting any tonight?" Regina asked, rocking her hips against Emma's lower abdomen and making the blonde groan.

"Much as I want to ravage you right here, yes, I think we should wait. If we don't want to fuck this up, I don't think we should jump into bed together mere minutes after we finally admit our feelings to each other."

"Fucking doesn't always fuck things up," Regina pointed out, her own fingers now slowly pushing up the hem of Emma's t-shirt, exposing the flat stomach below.

"No," Emma agreed. "But I still want to take you out first. One date, that's all I ask."

"Ok," Regina conceded. "But I have a condition."

"And what's that?"

"You let me plan the evening."


	4. 04-05 - Breaking Glass

A/N: Imagine if Lana delivered this Regina line with a husky, sensual voice … Also, I've invented a past relationship between our ladies because that's where the idea took me!

* * *

"Emma, wait."

The blonde did, turning back towards the woman sat at the back of her family's crypt.

"I don't want to kill you. I want to be with you," Regina said, her voice steady and determined.

Emma balked, her eyes wide with surprise. After the day the two of them had had and Regina's snide attitude towards her, that was the last thing she was expecting.

"Pardon?" Emma asked, hardly daring to believe her ears.

"You think we're friends?" Regina continued, echoing her question from earlier as she stood up. "Emma, you and I passed the friendship mark years ago when we first starting sleeping together. I know we've never been officially together and I know we've both been dating men and you're still with Hook but what we have is so much more than friendship. And maybe this is bad timing, maybe this isn't what you want any more but what Robin did to me, the way he just dropped me as soon as Marian showed up again, I realised you would never have done that. You do have my back, and you always have. We were never together because I was the one pushing you away. You told me you wanted more, so many times, and I always denied you. And now, well, I suppose now I've left things too late and you're happy with the one-handed pirate."

"Too late for what?" Emma asked, stepping back towards Regina and standing almost nose to nose with her, searching her face with her internal lie-detector, trying to work out if the woman was as genuine as she seemed.

"I want you, Emma," Regina repeated. "I want to be with you."

"And you're not just saying this because Robin left and you're lonely?" Emma said, needing some reassurances before she gave in to what her heart ached for.

"I want you," Regina said. "I'm not scared any more, I'm not afraid of the love between us, I don't want to hide from the truth."

"And what's the truth?" Emma asked, her voice little more than a whisper.

"I love you," Regina said, looking straight into the piercing green eyes before her. "I've loved you for years, Emma Swan, and -,"

The rest of Regina's sentence was cut off with a fierce kiss, Emma pushing Regina back against the wall of the crypt and pinning her there with her body. Regina whimpered, her open mouth invaded at once by Emma's tongue as she gripped the tan leather jacket and pulled the blonde's torso even closer to her own.

"Hook?" Regina gasped, as Emma moved to pepper kisses along her jawline.

"One date and a few make-out sessions," Emma said, continuing her quest towards the sweet spot she knew lay just below Regina's ear lobe.

Regina seemed satisfied with Emma's answer and rolled her neck to the side, sighing pleasantly when Emma's tongue laved the sensitive skin, her teeth nibbling before a hot mouth sucked softly. Emma's fingers were already skating down Regina's sides, sliding beneath her jacket and back up over the silky fabric beneath. Emma's own jacket was pushed to the floor soon after, Regina's hands roaming appreciably over the flexing biceps just as Emma's mouth returned to Regina's lips, kissing her soundly before falling to her knees.

The first time they had been together, years before, Regina had made some quip about being a queen, used to people on their knees before her. It been before the curse broke so the truth of the statement was lost on Emma. Regina however, remembered the countless men and women who had knelt at her behest in the Enchanted Forest. But with Emma it had always been different. Somehow, Regina was the one who felt vulnerable, who surrendered herself to the woman whose fingers were fumbling to undo the fastenings on her slacks.

As Emma was helping her step out of the material now pooled around her ankles, Regina unbuttoned her own blouse, letting that flutter to the floor too as Emma looked up her body, the black lace underwear the only articles of clothing left. As Emma watched, Regina's arms snaked around her own back, unclasping her bra and allowing it to fall. Emma gulped, her hands instantly reaching to hold each heavy globe, squeezing and running her thumbs over the taut nipples. Regina bit her lip as she felt her core clench, needing Emma more than she knew possible.

It had been months since the two women had been together and it was only when she felt Emma's lips brush over her skin just above where her panties lay that Regina realised just how much she had missed her. Together, the two women shed the last barrier between Emma's mouth and Regina's sex and the blonde wasted no time leaning in and running her tongue through the dripping folds. Regina moaned and her head thumped back against the wall, widening her stance as Emma's hands pried her thighs further apart. The blonde lapped her core, strong, persistent strokes which were turning Regina's legs to jelly. Her hands fisted in Emma's hair, pulling her even closer as Emma's mouth sealed around her clit, sucking the tight bud into the wet warmth.

When Emma pushed two fingers inside Regina, a shout echoed off the stone walls, the brunette hardly able to remain standing as she trembled through her release. Emma didn't stop her movements, her hand thrusting quickly between Regina's thighs and her tongue licking every bit of flesh she could reach. Before Regina's body could even recover, another orgasm tore through her, hot liquid flowing from her core and onto Emma's fingers before her tongue greedily collected them.

Eventually, Regina's knees gave way. She sank to the floor, ignoring the rough stone scraping against her back as she landed in Emma's arms, her heart pounding and her eyes closed. Emma kissed her forehead softly, holding the quaking woman tenderly as she waited for Regina to recover. It was then that she realised she was almost fully clothed; her jeans and tank top never having been removed in their rush to be reunited. Emma pulled the naked woman closer to her, hearing Regina's breathing even out as she slowly regained control over her body.

"I've missed you," she murmured into Emma's neck.

"Me too," Emma said, leaning back and capturing Regina's lips in a searing kiss. "I've missed you so much, Regina."

"This is it now, right? Us, together?"

"If that's what you want, then of course," Emma nodded.

"You want that too?"

"More than anything," Emma assured, kissing Regina again as if to prove her point.

Soon Emma laid back, the cool stone floor hardly ideal but she didn't care as Regina began to pluck at her clothing. The tank top was practically ripped from her head and her sports bra was push upwards, Regina's mouth covering her nipple of one breast and fingers pinching the other. Emma arched into the stimulation, her body flushed with arousal. She unbuttoned her own jeans at that point but Regina quickly helped her to tug them down her legs, just as Emma pulled her bra from her body. Her panties were gone too, Regina having magicked them somewhere impatiently, probably as a keepsake. The former queen rather liked trophies. Emma grinned as the brunette settled above her once more, leaning in to kiss her as fingers danced through her folds.

It didn't take long for Emma to be teetering on the edge of release, so desperate was her body for Regina's touch. She gasped as three fingers plunged into her sopping core, her hips rocking in time to the rough thrusts as she stared up into Regina's face. The brunette looked back at her, watching as the younger woman crested, her head thrown back and her eyes closed, a look of pure bliss on her face.

When Emma opened her eyes, she looked up to see Regina still astride her, slowly licking each of her fingers clean. Emma practically growled as she pulled Regina back down on top of her, tasting herself on Regina's tongue as they kissed.

"I told you I didn't want to kill you," Regina said, hours later when they pulled the duvet over their tired bodies.

It was nightfall and Regina had magicked the pair of them back to Mifflin Street after their second round in the crypt. The cold and damp was beginning to get to her and she wanted to have Emma in a real bed again. Emma wasn't complaining and had been even happier when Regina had disappeared for a while only to reappear with grilled cheese sandwiches. The food fuelled their love-making and they finally collapsed, sweaty and exhausted after countless orgasms.

"You might kill me with your insatiable appetite," Emma joked, putting her arm out so Regina could roll into her embrace.

"Sorry," Regina said, not sounding like she meant it at all.

"It would be the best death I could ask for," Emma shrugged. "Much better than an ice demon or Lost Boys with dream-shade tipped arrows, or another curse."

"Well I'd rather you didn't die," Regina said, kissing Emma's shoulder which lay beneath her cheek.

"Oh yeah?" Emma asked. "And why's that?"

"Because then I wouldn't get to spend the rest of my life with you," Regina answered simply, not caring how significant the statement was.

Emma's breath hitched and she pulled Regina closer to her. "I'll do my very best to stay alive for you, my love," she responded.

Sleep claimed the two lovers minutes later, their activities thoroughly exhausting them. Just before she lost consciousness, Regina realised she couldn't remember being as happy as she was, lying in Emma's arms. The Saviour's job might have been to bring back the happy endings but it had taken Regina far too long to realise exactly what, or who, her happy ending was.


	5. 04-06 - Family Business

A/N: unbelievable but hey, it's smut!

* * *

"You could have just said maybe later," Emma said as Regina caught up with her and they continued through the forest.

"But I'm not going to talk to him later," Regina replied shortly. "And don't you think you should talk to your pirate puppy and sort out your own love life before lecturing me on mine?"

Regina stalked ahead towards the ice cream truck and peering in through the window.

"What does that mean?" Emma asked, coming up beside Regina and placing a cupped hand against the glass. The inside of the vehicle was shrouded in darkness and obviously empty.

"You still haven't told him about us, have you?" Regina said, her voice quieter as the two women heard Hook and Robin approaching through the undergrowth.

"No," Emma admitted. "But I will." She laid a hand on Regina's arm, squeezing reassuringly for a moment before she pulled away, knowing their peace was about to be disrupted by the men the two of them were no longer interested in.

"When?" Regina asked. "I hate sneaking around, you know that."

"Are you going to tell Robin?" Emma countered, arms folded as she turned to fully face Regina.

"Why should I?" Regina shrugged. "I wasn't with him when we first kissed so it's frankly nothing to do with him. He chose his icicle wife over me, remember?"

"The icicle you're trying to thaw out," Emma reminded her.

"I'm a good ex-girlfriend," Regina said, wryly.

"Well I hope I never have to find out anyway," Emma said, smiling softly at Regina just as Hook came up to them and announced the coast was clear.

"Yeah, I guessed that," Emma shot back at him.

Hook raised his eyebrows but said nothing. He never said anything, no matter how badly Emma treated him. She sighed and followed him into the ice cream truck where they set about looking for clues as to where the Snow Queen might be hiding.

"Regina please," Robin said, tugging her gently to one side before she could follow Emma ad Hook.

"Robin, go back to your wife," Regina said. "I can't find a way to break the curse so you're going to have to use True Love's kiss. You need to fall back in love with your wife and the only way you can do that is if you forget about me. It's the best thing, for everyone involved."

"I can't forget about you," Robin said, his face contorted into the usual pained expression.

"Well I've moved on," Regina said. "I'm not in love with you any more, Robin. I've met someone else. Please, leave me alone."

"You've met someone else?" Robin frowned. "It's barely been a month. Who?"

"That doesn't matter," Regina replied. "And I only told you because you need to see that there is no future for us any more. Marian is who you need to focus on now. Let's both move on with our lives."

She walked away, leaving a slightly stunned Robin behind her. By the time Regina entered the ice cream truck, Emma was rifling through a large chest freezer, a busted padlock dangling uselessly and Captain Guyliner stroking his hook rather proudly.

"Anything?" Regina asked, walking up to peer in beside Emma.

"Perhaps," Emma said, showing Regina the file she had found containing some of her old art work and school reports. "It seems I've got a much more complicated past with the Snow Queen than we thought."

"Come on," Regina said, taking the folder from Emma's arms. "I think I have something in my vault that could help."

The purple smoke took Emma by surprise and she caught sight of Hook's frowning face before the ice cream truck disappeared and she found herself beneath Regina's family tomb.

"What do you have?" Emma asked, watching as Regina moved to her potions table and deposited the folder.

"Nothing," Regina replied. "I just needed to get you alone."

Emma smirked as she watched Regina's tongue lick sensuously over the plump lip. In seconds she had crossed to the brunette, arms sweeping her into a passionate embrace. Their lips parted instantly, the kiss needy and desperate. It had been days since they had been together, the threat of the Snow Queen having consumed all of their free time. Fears of the latest magical proprietor in Storybrooke melted away however as Emma's hands slid beneath Regina's jacket, pushing the material aside so she could feel the woman beneath. Regina directed Emma towards an old chest, pushing her down onto it and smirking as she straddled her. The wood was hard beneath her knees and shins but she didn't care, the closeness of the other woman's body enough to eclipse any discomfort.

With her head angled upwards, Emma conceded control to Regina, allowing the older woman to rip her jacket down her arms and tug her tank top from her head whilst Regina's tongue plundered her mouth. Her fingers kneaded Regina's toned ass, squeezing and digging in her fingertips as her arousal built.

They were both impatient and soon Emma watched through hooded eyes as Regina pulled her jeans from her feet and tossed them aside. Spreading herself wide, Emma beckoned the brunette back between her thighs. Regina grinned up at Emma as she knelt, the scent of the younger woman making her mouth practically water.

Her tongue darted out, licking a long, slow, deliberate path through Emma's folds. Fingers threaded through brown hair, pulling Regina's head closer, as Emma sighed in contentment. Regina loved the sounds Emma made. She loved the breathy whimpers which came when her tongue flickered over her clit. She loved the soft gasps which spilled from her parted lips when her fingers entered the wet channel. She loved the cries of ecstasy which reverberated off the walls when Emma came, Regina's fingers buried deep inside Emma's body and her hot mouth sealed tightly around Emma's swollen, hard clit.

Emma slid off the chest and onto Regina who was still kneeling before her.

"Fuck," she murmured as she leaned forwards to capture Regina's lips, her essence strong and musky in their kiss.

"Please," Regina said, already tugging off the remainder of her own clothes.

Emma's fingers were already between her legs even before Regina's trousers were removed, so desperate was the blonde to feel Regina once more. The older woman was practically dripping, her sex clenching tightly as fingers danced teasingly over her folds.

"Inside," she husked, nipping at Emma's ear as she did so before she turned her head and kissed Emma once more.

Two fingers filled her, making Regina cry out in delight. She loved feeling Emma inside her. The fingers set a steady rhythm, both women knowing but not wanting to verbalise the fact that they would need to get back to the search for the Snow Queen soon. Emma pumped steadily, the slick velvet insides clamping deliciously around her fingers. She twisted her hand, the heel of her palm now pressing right against Regina's clit.

"Yes," Regina hissed into Emma's mouth, the tension in her core reaching breaking point.

Emma pulled back slightly and watched Regina's face. The brown eyes locked on her own green orbs as her fingers sped up, the heel of her hand rubbing frantically over Regina's clit.

"I think I love you."

Regina came hard, her eyes wide as Emma's words reached her ears. Her walls rippled around the blonde's fingers, juices spilling from her as her pleasure peaked. Emma slowed her fingers as she tenderly leaned down to kiss Regina who was still staring up at her. When they broke apart, Emma's hand slid from between parted thighs and she moved off the brunette, lying beside her on the uncomfortable crypt floor.

"I need to talk to Hook," Emma said. "Today."

"You do," Regina nodded. "And I do too."

"Need to talk to Hook?" Emma frowned, rolling her head to the side and looking at Regina.

"No," Regina chuckled. "I have absolutely no need to speak to the Handless Wonder."

"Don't call him that," Emma sighed. "What were you talking about when you said you do too, then?"

"I love you too."


	6. 04-07 - The Snow Queen

A/N: OMG but what if this had really happened! And yes, I used one of Robin's lines to start this.

* * *

"Because today is not one of those days."

Regina gasped softly as Robin crossed the room and planted a rough, aggressive kiss on her mouth. His tongue pushed through her lips and she let it, almost giving in to him despite the hurt he had caused her ever since he chose Marian over her.

The shrill ring of her cell phone broke the moment. Regina ducked out from beneath Robin's arm, glanced at the screen and picked it up.

"Emma?" she said, a little breathless as she ran her fingers through her hair. "What's up?"

"I need your help," the blonde said, her voice sounding choked with tears.

Regina didn't think twice about turning on the spot and marching quickly from her vault and up the stairs.

"Where are you?"

* * *

Regina walked carefully over the mossy ground towards the bug which was parked in the forest clearing. She had never been up the track Emma had directed too and realised when she reached the top that she had been missing out. Storybrooke glittered before her, the lights shining from windows and the moonlight reflecting on the sea beyond. Focusing her attention on the yellow car once more, Regina picked her way over the uneven floor and knocked lightly on the passenger side window.

Emma leaned over and flicked the lock to let her in.

"Hey," Regina said, sliding into the seat and closing the door. Emma didn't reply.

The car was cold. Emma had obviously been parked up there for a while, staring out over Storybrooke. Regina was immediately worried. It was clear something had happened to thoroughly shake the blonde.

"What's up?" she asked, trying to keep the mood light and not sound concerned. But she was. She was very concerned.

Emma shook her head, unable to verbalise what she had done hours earlier in the Sheriff Station.

"Emma, talk to me," Regina said, reaching over to pat the blonde's leg.

Emma pulled away before contact was made. "Don't touch me."

Regina's eyebrows rose but she withdrew her hand, placing it back in her lap.

"I had three missed calls from Snow before I got here," Regina said quietly. "I'm guessing the reason for her desire to contact me is the same as whatever you're not telling me."

Emma remained silent, looking out of the window as a tear rolled down her cheek. Regina had to fight the desperate urge to wipe it away.

"Emma, you asked for my help but I can't do anything if you won't tell me what the problem is," Regina said, quietly.

Emma sighed and rubbed her face. She knew Regina was right. She also knew the only reason Regina was sat in her car at that moment was because she herself had asked her to come. She trusted Regina to help her. Regina would make this better.

"I can't control my magic any more," Emma said.

If Regina was surprised by the statement, she didn't show it.

"What did you do?" she asked.

"I blasted a hole in the side of the interview room," Emma said. "And then I knocked a power line over. It hit David. Oh God, is he ok? I wonder if that was why Mum was calling you. We should go to the hospital."

"David's fine," Regina assured the blonde.

"How do you know?"

"I had a missed call from him too. And a text message asking if I knew where you were," she shrugged.

"Oh," Emma said, slumping back in her seat. "I'm surprised they care."

"What makes you say that?" Regina said, frowning at the almost teenager-like attitude.

"You should have seen the way Mary Margaret looked at me earlier when I was holding Neal. She doesn't trust me around him. She didn't want me to babysit my own brother and she was glad when the call came in about the Snow Queen and I had to leave."

"What about the Snow Queen?"

"We captured her," Emma replied. "At least, she made us think we had. But then when I started interrogating her she … she tricked me. She's the reason I fully lost control. She made me lose faith in myself and I don't know how to get it back."

"What did she say?" Regina asked, anger bubbling inside her already at the knowledge that this woman had made Emma doubt herself. How could Emma Swan doubt her abilities? She was one of the most powerful magical beings Regina had ever had the pleasure to meet.

"She said my family can't love me because they don't understand me. That's why they had Neal, because I'm a monster," Emma said, her heart clenching painfully as she remembered Ingrid's words.

"You're not a monster, Emma," Regina said softly.

"I nearly crushed my father to death today," Emma said, a tingling in her fingers beginning again. "What else would you call me?"

"Misunderstood? Special?" Regina suggested, quoting the blonde's word back at her from weeks before.

"I'm a danger to them," Emma replied, balling her hands into fists as she felt magic coursing through her veins. "I'm a danger to anyone who's near me."

"Then why ask me here?" Regina said. "You must think you can come back from this, that you can regain control, right? Otherwise why would you call me?"

Sparks flew from Emma's hands, the magic crackling as if electrified. Regina tensed. Emma noticed.

"I thought you'd be able to … neutralise me," Emma said, shaking her hands in an attempt to stop the magic. It didn't work.

"I'm not going to neutralise you," Regina tutted, reaching over towards Emma again but the blonde recoiled. "Emma, you can regain control over this. You're powerful, yes, but you're also capable. Remember our lessons. Remember what it was like to focus on your ability and channel it into what you needed to do."

Emma nodded and closed her eyes. Her brain was fuzzy, her body practically vibrating with magic. She couldn't identify anything recognisable within her. It was a mess. A swirling, fast-moving, complicated mess of powerful, uncontrollable magic.

"I can't," she huffed, opening the door and getting out of the car.

Regina watched her walk towards the edge of the clearing, looking out over Storybrooke again. Emma folded her arms tightly, protecting herself from the autumnal winds which blew off the sea. She found feel Regina's eyes on her back after a few minutes, the snap of the car door told her the brunette had followed.

"It's beautiful up here," Regina murmured as she came to stand beside Emma.

"I discovered it with Henry when I first moved here. I used to come here to think," Emma said, not looking at the woman now stood beside her. "It usually helps me see things clearly."

"Because it reminds you why you're here," Regina said. "You're the Saviour, Emma. You're here to bring the happy endings back to Storybrooke."

"Yeah and a damn fine job I'm doing," Emma said sarcastically.

"You broke the curse," Regina reminded her. "You defeated Pan, you're helping Elsa find her sister."

"And I ruined your happy ending," Emma added.

"Robin was never my happy ending, not if he was willing to leave me like he did," Regina replied. "And anyway, he seems to be having second thoughts about choosing Marian."

Temporarily distracted from her own problem, Emma turned to Regina. "He came back to you?"

"He tried to."

"What happened?"

"You phoned and interrupted," Regina said, smirking slightly.

"Shit," Emma said. "I'm sorry, Regina."

"Don't be," Regina replied. "You needed me more than I needed a fumbled quickie in my family crypt with a man I'm no longer in love with."

Emma made a face. Regina laughed.

"Emma, you're not a monster. You're magical, yes. And that is something your parents will never be able to fully understand. But that doesn't mean they don't accept you for who you are. Snow and Charming may not have magic but they appreciate its uses and they love you."

"They put me in a wardrobe," Emma said softly.

"Because of my curse," Regina replied. "Don't blame them for the impossible situation they were in when you were born. It wasn't their fault you were abandoned, it was mine."

"And I blamed you for a long time," Emma said. "But you didn't force them to put me in that wardrobe. They could have kept me with them."

"You'd have been cursed," Regina reminded her. "You would have landed in Storybrooke as a newborn and remained that way forever. You'd still be wrapped in that blanket of yours right now if they hadn't put you in the wardrobe. The curse would have endured forever. And we wouldn't have Henry."

Sparks flew from Emma's hands once more at the mention of their son.

"It's clearly emotions which are causing this magical … malfunction," Regina observed. "You're letting yourself feel too deeply. Your magic is too closely tethered to your heart and it means you can't control it when you become over-emotional. I suppose that's why your magic first showed itself when you were in life or death situations too."

"Can you fix it?" Emma asked. "Can you fix me?"

Regina thought for a second before an idea struck her. "Do you trust me?"

Emma nodded.

Regina rolled up her sleeve and at once Emma knew what the brunette was going to do. It was still a shock though, a garbled gasp escaping her mouth as Regina's hand plunged into her chest. It withdrew seconds later, a glowing heart pumping steadily between clasped fingers.

"Temporary fix admittedly," Regina said, looking down at the bright red object. "But if your heart isn't in your body then your magic can't be fuelled by whatever it's feeling."

Both women looked at Emma's hands which were pale and smooth once more. The magic which had been dancing on the surface of her skin had stopped. Regina turned her attention back to the heart in her hand, a curious expression on her face.

"What?" Emma asked. "Have I got one of those dark spots like Mum?"

"No," Regina said slowly.

"Then why are you looking at my heart weirdly?" Emma asked. "You're not going to crush it, are you?"

"No."

There was a pause.

"Regina, you're scaring me. What's wrong with my heart?" Emma asked, peering into Regina's hands to look at the cupped organ.

"I've held literally hundreds of hearts in my hands before," Regina said, almost more to herself than to Emma. "But this feels … different."

"In what way?"

"I … don't know," Regina admitted, finally looking up at Emma who was shocked to see tears in the brown orbs.

"Why are you crying?" Emma asked, even more alarmed.

"I don't know that either," Regina admitted. "I've … never felt like this before."

"Like what?" Emma asked, tempted to reach out and take the heart back from Regina but deciding against it.

Regina didn't answer. Instead, she plunged her hand into her own chest and seconds later pulled a darker heart out into the air. It wasn't nearly as blackened as Rumple's heart, but Regina's evil deeds had certainly marred the flesh. After a moment's hesitation, Regina handed the beating organ to Emma who took it, confused.

Happiness. Pure, unadulterated happiness. Emma felt it welling up inside her as the muscle beat steadily in her hand. She gasped, staring down at the glowing red heart before back at Regina.

"You feel it too," Regina said. It was a statement, not a question. From the look on Emma's face, Regina knew exactly what the blonde was experiencing because it was what had taken over her body the moment she held Emma's heart.

"What does this mean?" Emma asked, glancing between the two hearts and then up to Regina's face.

Regina said nothing, instead turning to look out over Storybrooke again.

"Regina, does this mean what I think it means?" Emma said, needing an answer. The day had been confusing enough without yet another mystery landing in her lap.

"What do you think it means?" Regina asked, not looking at Emma.

"I think it means you're my happy ending," Emma said simply.

Regina ran her thumb over Emma's heart in her hands. The blonde shivered slightly, but in a nice way. Finally, brown eyes met green and she nodded. Emma let out a shaky breath, not quite sure what she was supposed to feel, aside from the happiness bubbling away inside her. Regina just looked at her, waiting.

"What are you thinking?" she asked, after trying and failing to read Regina's expression.

"I think everything happens for a reason," she replied. "I think there was a reason you and Hook got sucked into that time portal. I think there was a reason you chose to bring Marian back and inadvertently break up my relationship. I think there was a reason you called me today when you felt out of control. And I think there was a reason why I knew removing your heart would solve the problem. I just didn't know it was going to lead to this."

"Are we True Loves then?" Emma asked, frowning slightly.

"I believe so," Regina nodded, looking oddly calm about the whole situation.

"So … what now?" Emma said.

"Do you still trust me?" Regina asked.

Emma nodded. Regina stepped towards then blonde and quickly pushed Emma's heart back into her chest. Regina saw momentarily panic flicker across green eyes before she calmed, realising that her magic remained in her control.

"How does that work?" Emma asked.

"You have faith in yourself again," Regina shrugged.

"Because you and I are True Loves?" Emma asked, still confused.

"Because you know someone loves you," Regina replied. "Someone believes in you and has faith in you which in turn means you believe in yourself."

"You love me?" Emma said, eyes wide.

"Until today I would have said I loved you as a friend, a sister even," Regina nodded. "Despite the years of bickering we've endured, I have grown rather fond of you, Emma. And yes, I love you."

"I love you too," Emma said, noting as she did so how Regina's heart glowed a little brighter at the words. "But as a friend. How do we … what do we do now?"

"See how things go?" Regina suggested. "To be honest, I've got no experience in this field. I've never known anyone who knew their True Love but didn't _know_ they were True Loves."

"So we stay as we are?" Emma said.

"Do you want that?" Regina replied.

"I don't know," Emma admitted. "Until five minutes ago, yes. Now …" She stared off over Storybrooke once more, trying to find the right words.

"Your curiosity is piqued?"

"Something like that," Emma admitted, the tips of her ears reddening slightly.

Regina reached over and took her own heart back from Emma. The blonde felt her happiness levels within her dip slightly but not much as she watched the brunette force her heart back into her chest.

"Shall we head back?" Regina said after another long pause. "Your family will be worried about you."

The two women walked back to the car together in silence. Most of the drive back to town was quiet too, both Emma and Regina trying to wrap their heads around what had happened. Just before they arrived on the outskirts, Emma pulled the bug over into a lay-by and switched off the engine.

"What's up?" Regina asked, turning to look at the blonde.

"I just … I wanted to … I'd like to try -,"

Emma's words were cut off by Regina's mouth as she leaned across the centre console and covered Emma's bumbling lips. The blonde let out a squeak of surprise before she registered what had happened and reached up to cup Regina's cheeks, pulling the brunette towards her as she parted her lips. Regina moved her mouth gently, not wanting to push Emma too far too soon. She hadn't exactly lied to the blonde earlier but when she said she considered Emma like a sister, Regina knew that the attraction she felt for the younger woman was anything but sisterly. She let Emma set the pace, welcoming the blonde's tongue into her mouth and sucking on it tenderly before Emma began to explore, the hot muscle making her core clench.

It was Emma who pulled away first, breathing heavily and her cheeks flushed.

"Wow," she murmured, reaching up to wipe a smear of lipstick from Regina's mouth before rubbing her own lips against the back of her palm.

"How do you feel?" Regina asked.

"Happy."

"Me too," Regina smiled, leaning forwards to place a short kiss to Emma's lips.

"I need to talk to Hook," Emma said as she started the car again. She missed the scowl on Regina's forehead at the mention of the pirate. "But once I've done that, do you fancy going out for coffee some time?"

"Are you asking me out on a date?" Regina said, her face splitting into a wide smile.

"I am," Emma nodded, her own grin broader than it had ever been.


	7. 04-08 - Smash the Mirror Part One

A/N: SwanQueen friendship only for this insert, sorry!

* * *

"We are each given our own gifts," Regina explained gently. "You have the heart of the truest believer. You brought us all together. Never think you're ordinary just because you don't have magic. Or claws," she added, gesturing to the comics on Henry's knees. "Or purple shorts. And don't worry about Emma. She's a hero and as we both know," Henry smiled and joined in, "heroes always win."

Regina smiled and leaned towards Henry, resting her forehead tenderly against his own and sighing softly. She missed spending time with her son so much and she hated seeing him in pain, physical or otherwise. All she wanted was for Henry to have a happy childhood and thanks to her it had become marred by magical wars. At least she was on the right side for the latest battle.

"I love you," she said as she pulled away.

"I love you too," Henry replied.

"I'm going to see if I can track down Emma and find out what's going on with her," Regina said. "Text me if you need anything, ok?"

Regina slipped out of Henry's room and closed the door behind her. She said a brief goodbye to the Charmings before heading out of the apartment. As soon as she was in the corridor, she pulled out her phone.

Emma answered at once.

"Is Henry ok?" The blonde sounded panicked and exhausted.

"He'll be fine," Regina assured as she walked towards her car. "Elsa have magicked him all the ice in the world and there's not much of a bump."

"Shit," Emma sighed.

"Where are you?" Regina asked.

"Nowhere."

Regina rolled her eyes as she slid into her car. "I could help," she said. "If you let me see you perhaps I can work out what's happening to make your magic … unpredictable."

"It's under control now," Emma said shortly. "Thanks."

"What does that mean?" Regina asked, a frown on her forehead.

"It means I've got it sorted."

"How?"

"You're not the only one in this town who understands magic," Emma said.

"Rumple?" Regina said, realising quickly who Emma must have turned to. "Emma, you know you can't trust him, right? He's the Dark One for goodness sake. Please, Emma, let me help you. Whatever Gold has said he'll do for you, I can promise you he has an ulterior motive."

There was a long silence.

"I'm in the forest," Emma said. "Near the toll bridge."

The blonde heard the start of an engine before the line went dead. Dropping her phone into her lap, she sighed and flopped back against the seat in her bug. She didn't know exactly why she had told Regina where she was but something niggled inside her, something she knew she couldn't avoid. She needed help and she knew she couldn't trust Mr Gold.

It took Regina less than half an hour to find the yellow vehicle hidden within the trees. She had parked her car on the side of a disused track and continued on foot until she spotted the hideous coloured car. Emma didn't notice her presence until the passenger door opened and she looked up in alarm.

"Oh, hi," she said as Regina climbed inside the car.

"How are you?" Regina asked, taking in the blonde's slightly dishevelled appearance.

"I've been better," Emma admitted. "Is Henry really alright?"

Regina nodded. "He's fine but he's worried about you. We all are."

"You won't need to worry for much longer," Emma said. "I told you, it's all under control."

"What has Rumple said he can do?" Regina asked. "Because whatever it is, I can assure you he's lying."

Emma glanced over at the brunette and was about to answer her when she spotted the dark mark on Regina's neck.

"Is that a hickey?"

The blush colouring Regina's cheeks was answer enough. The older woman tugged her collar up but it was too late.

"Oh my God!" Emma said, chuckling for the first time in days. "I didn't know they were a thing past your teen years."

"Neither did I," Regina admitted. "Must be a forest tradition."

"Robin?" Emma asked, eyes wide. She wasn't expecting that. "What about Marian?"

Regina looked away from Emma, staring out of the window into the dark forest around them. Emma bit her lip, realising what she had said had been rather insensitive.

"I'm sorry," Emma said softly. "I know you and Robin are in an impossible situation thanks to me and my incessant need to save people."

Regina didn't answer, her gaze still resolutely fixed on the gloomy trees.

"Do you still love him?" Emma asked, thinking she knew the answer.

Regina nodded, turning back to Emma with her eyes full of tears. The blonde's heart ached for her friend and she leaned forwards and squeezed Regina's hands in her own. Sparks crackled from her fingertips and she pulled away at once, mumbling an apology even though her magic didn't seem to have hurt Regina.

"This will all work out," Emma said. "If you and Robin are True Loves, then you'll be together eventually, right?"

"Thanks to Robin's honour code, there's only one way that happens," Regina replied. "And I'm trying as hard as I can to save Marian's life. After years and years of destroying lives to get my happy ending, I'm now trying desperately to save my True Love's wife because it's the right thing to do even if it means I'll be alone for the rest of my life."

"You're not alone," Emma said at once. "You have Henry and me and even Mary Margaret and David." Regina rolled her eyes. "We're all here for you, Regina. And I'm sure you'll find someone else soon."

"I don't want anyone else," Regina said, wiping her tears away as they spilled from her eyes. "I want Robin."

"And it seems he wants you too," Emma said, gesturing to the love bite. "Maybe he won't stay with Marian. Maybe he'll choose you after all."

"In which case Roland's mother will be frozen for the rest of her life, for the rest of time in fact," Regina said. "How are we supposed to build a relationship with that hanging over us?"

"I don't know," Emma admitted.

The two women fell silent, the whisper of the wind in the trees the only sound to be heard. Emma was lost in thought, both about Regina's broken heart and her own broken magic. Regina was trying to force the memories of her time with Robin from her mind. Emma didn't need her relationship drama at the moment, not when she was dealing with magical problems.

"Rumple said he can get rid of my magic," Emma said after a while.

"What?" Regina gasped, whipping her head back to face the blonde. "How? Why?"

"He didn't give me the specifics but I don't want it," Emma shrugged. "I don't want this power any more, not if it hurts people."

"But you can't just remove magic," Regina frowned. "It's not like a kidney. It's an inherent part of you. I'm not aware of a single spell to stop magic without … death."

"Rumple said he could."

"Rumple lied."

Emma balled her hands into fists, the heat of the magic burning her palms. What was she supposed to do. She certainly didn't want to die but she also knew she needed to do something about her out of control abilities.

"I can help you," Regina said after a long silence.

"How?"

Emma's voice was barely more than a whisper. The woman sounded defeated and desperate for anything that might help. Regina didn't have the faintest idea where to start when it came to solving Emma's problem but she knew she needed to do something to save her friend.

"I don't know," Regina admitted. "But I'm going to try. Just promise me you won't go to Mr Gold today. Whatever he had planned for you, it's not going to end well."

"Ok," Emma nodded. "But please hurry. I can't stay camped out here forever."

"Come home," Regina suggested. "Henry misses you and your parents are out of their mind with worry."

"I don't trust myself not to hurt them," Emma said, shaking her head. "Not after what happened this morning with Henry."

"But you trust yourself not to hurt me?" Regina asked.

"I trust you to be able to defend yourself against anything I might do," Emma shrugged.

"Then come back to mine," Regina suggested. "The mansion is empty right now, since Henry is at the loft and then we can work together to get your powers back under control. At least then I can stop worrying about you sleeping in your bug in the middle of the forest."

"Really?" Emma asked, already thinking how good a hot shower and a soft bed would be.

"Really," Regina nodded. "I want to help in any way I can, Emma. And for now, I think the least I can do is offer you shelter somewhere you aren't afraid to be magical. Fear of your abilities could be the root of this problem, after all."

"Ok," Emma said, smiling a little. The action felt foreign to her face but her heart swelled slightly as she saw Regina beaming back at her.

"My car's down there," Regina said. "Follow me back?"

Emma nodded. She watched Regina climb out and begin to pick her way back over the forest floor towards the track. Would this work? Would Regina really be able to stop the powers within her going haywire? Emma didn't want to be a pessimist but she was doubtful. If death was the only way to destroy her magic then what hope did she have. Just before she turned the key in the ignition, Regina looked back at her and smiled. Emma's heart skipped a beat. No, Regina wouldn't let her die. Regina was the most powerful purveyor of light magic she knew. If anyone could help her regain control, it was the woman strutting elegantly down towards the toll bridge. Emma started her car and began to drive. It was going to be alright. Regina was going to make everything alright.


	8. 04-09 - Smash the Mirror Part Two

A/N: what if Regina had taken Robin's words to mean she was destined to be with someone else…

* * *

"It's a sign," Robin insisted, eagerly looking up from the drawing to Regina's sceptical expression. "And you can take it however you want but to me, it's showing you possibility. Hope. That's not something that would ever happen to a villain, is it?"

Regina shook her head, tears shining in her eyes as she realised what Robin was saying.

"What is it?" Robin asked, always struggling to read Regina's emotions. The woman was complex, to say the least.

"I need to call someone," Regina said. "Robin, this page does give me hope. It means that what I thought was an impossibility is now … well, possible."

"We can be together now and -,"

"No," Regina interrupted. "No, I'm sorry, Robin, but that's not what I was thinking about. If there's more than one path for our relationship to take then there's more than one path for every relationship. And I think I need to go and repair one which got off on the wrong foot several years ago."

She turned and walked quickly from the library, Robin staring open mouthed after her, the drawing hanging limply in his hand.

The fireworks exploded overhead, their bright colours lighting up the dark sky as bangs and pops reverberated down the lane. Regina smiled as she followed the sight, knowing exactly who was causing the elaborate display. By the time she pulled up outside the old manor house, Emma was finishing with a flourish, her fingers dancing through the air and she commanded her magic once more.

"Hey," the blonde said, smiling for the first time in days as she saw Regina walking up the path towards them, the final explosion fading into the night as she did.

"Welcome back," Regina said, climbing the steps to join her son and his other mother on the balcony. "How does it feel?"

"Magical," Emma grinned.

Regina rolled her eyes at the lame joke but her heart swelled as she saw how happy Emma was. She had missed the radiant smile which now almost dazzled her.

"What did Robin want?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Oh he found something," Regina said, quickly reminded of why she was there. "In fact, I was hoping to speak to Emma to ask her what she thought it meant."

"Um, sure," Emma nodded. "We can drive back to town together if you want. I assume you're joining the party at Granny's?"

"I'd love to," Regina smiled. "David, would you like to drive my Merc back and I'll go with Emma?"

David's face lit up like a Christmas tree and he thanked Regina profusely as she handed over her keys. Emma chuckled at her father's reaction and led the way down the path, Henry close behind her.

"Kid, are you ok to go with your grandfather?" Emma asked, sensing Regina wanted to talk to her in private.

Henry frowned a little. After all, Operation Mongoose was his idea. But a look from Regina had him nodding his consent and hugging both his mothers goodbye before jogging over to join David.

"So, what did Forest Boy want?" Emma asked as soon as she pulled onto the narrow lane which led back to Storybrooke.

"Do you have to call him that?"

"Do you have to call Killian Captain Guyliner?"

"Fair point," Regina conceded. "And Robin is fine, I guess."

"You guess?"

"He found a page from a storybook. Not Henry's but the paper and the ink is the same. Except in this picture I went into that tavern back in the Enchanted Forest and I met Robin the night Tink led me there. Robin thinks it means there's hope for a happy ending."

"And what do you think it means?" Emma asked.

"I think it means relationships can change course," Regina replied. "That there are endless possibilities out there for everyone and our decisions affect what happens, not fate."

"That's a good thing, right?" Emma said, glancing sideways at the brunette as she drove.

"It is," Regina nodded. "It means I have a chance."

"To find a happy ending?"

"Yes."

They drove on in silence. Emma knew there was something more Regina wanted to say but didn't push her. Regina, on the other hand, was trying to word her next statement carefully.

"Do you ever wonder what might have happened?"

"If what?" Emma asked.

"If I'd not been such a bitch to you when you arrived," Regina clarified. "What would have happened if we had been friends from the start?"

"Well we're friends now," Emma shrugged. "I guess it would have cut out a lot of arguments and made Henry happier but all's well that ends well."

"Did it?"

"Did it what?" Emma frowned.

"End well."

"I suppose it hasn't ended yet," Emma admitted. "We've still got a Snow Queen to take down and -,"

"No, us," Regina clarified.

Emma's frown deepened. "Well, we're friends now, aren't we? I think our friendship has become great, to be honest. I mean, if you'd asked me a few years ago if this would happen I'd say you were crazy but now, yeah, I think we've ended well."

Regina took a deep breath, mustering her courage. It was now or never.

"I don't."

Wordlessly, Emma indicated and pulled the car off the road. She waited until the lights of David's pickup and Regina's Mercedes had passed her before turning to the brunette, her face pale in the gloom of the evening.

"What's going on?" the blonde asked at last.

"I fucked up." Emma's eyes widened. She didn't think she had ever heard Regina swear before. "I fucked up that night I met you Emma and I've been regretting it ever since. That decision, it changed our lives."

"What decision?"

"I saw you as a threat to me, to my family, to my curse. I went into defensive mode. Well, attack mode, I suppose. And I was scared to death. I pushed you away as hard as I could and I ruined my relationship with my son in the process. I've spent years wondering what would have happened if I'd made the other decision, if I'd done the thing which has always terrified me most."

"Which is what?" Emma asked, still confused.

"Giving in to my heart."

The silence in the car was heavy, both women unsure what was about to happen as they stepped, or rather were flung, into this new territory.

"Your heart?" Emma asked after a long while.

"Well, maybe not my heart to begin with," Regina admitted. "When I first met you I suppose it was my attraction to you. That hideous red jacket and those blonde curls made something inside me sing with joy. I couldn't sleep that night because I kept thinking about your green eyes. But then as I got to know you, I realised that what I felt for you went so much deeper than the way you look. Even when we were fighting tooth and nail against one another, I couldn't stop thinking about how much I wanted you. I've never met someone who stood up to me like you do, who challenged me and who was a worthy opponent. The fact that I didn't want to be fighting you at all made our feud even worse. I was angry with myself for listening to my mother's words and not giving you a chance."

"Your mother?" Emma frowned.

"Love is weakness."

Emma balked. "Love?"

"Crazy, right?" Regina said with a soft chuckle. "I didn't see it coming myself either. But yes, over the years I have somehow fallen in love with you, Emma. But thanks to the choices I made when we first met, I've gone about telling you all wrong. My decision changed our lives back then and now I want to change them again."

"What about Robin?" Emma asked quietly.

"It's over," Regina shrugged. "I think he knew it before tonight to be honest. Now he can go back to Marian and be with his family."

"Marian is still frozen," Emma pointed out.

"I'll find a cure eventually," Regina shrugged.

There was another long silence, the seconds dragging by so slowly Regina thought time might have stood still. She needed to know what Emma was thinking. Her heart pounded hard against her rib cage as she waited for Emma to respond.

"I think you're hot too."

Regina snorted with laughter. Trust Emma Swan to be ineloquent during a serious conversation, a conversation that could change their lives forever.

"Thank you," Regina said, still laughing.

"But I'm with Killian."

The laughter stopped. Regina's heart sank. She had forgotten about that tiny snag in her plan. Not that she had exactly planned this chat but she had never foreseen the possibility that Emma Swan would not be available when she finally confessed how she felt.

"Oh, right," Regina said, looking out of the window and wondering whether it would be too cowardly to magic herself out of the car and back to the mansion where she could curl up into a ball with a bottle of scotch to try and forget what had happened.

"I … Regina, I need some time," Emma said after a while. "To think, you know? You've kinda dropped a bombshell on me right now and it's going to take some time to get my head around what I want."

"Bombshell," Regina said, repeating the word slowly. It sounded negative, her tongue heavy in her mouth as she spoke.

"You can't deny this is a surprise," Emma explained. "I mean, I think you even surprised yourself with the fact that you told me, right? So yes, it is a bombshell. Whatever happens, things aren't going to be like they were before."

Regina nodded. She had known that at least. Either Emma felt the same way as she did and they lived happily ever after with Henry. Or she had ruined one of the most precious friendships in her life. There was no way they could continue as if she had never admitted her attraction, her love, for Emma.

"I really like you," Emma said, reaching over and placing a hand gently on Regina's thigh. "But I'd never thought about you in that way before."

"Never?" Regina asked, turning at last back towards the blonde.

"Well," Emma said, her cheeks pinking. "There may have been one or two times when you've … appeared in dreams," she admitted.

Regina's breath hitched. There it was: hope.

"Take as long as you need," Regina said, her voice barely more than a whisper. "When you know what you want, come and find me."

Emma opened her mouth to answer but purple smoke filled the car, spiriting the brunette away before she had a chance to speak. Emma slumped back against the seat, rubbing her hands hard over her face. This had to be one of the strangest days of her life. And possible, she thought as she started the engine, one of the best.

* * *

A/N: before anyone comments asking me to continue this, I'm afraid I won't. However, if you are a writer yourself and want to take this starter and move ahead, just message me to ask!


	9. 04-10 - Fall

A/N: pretend there's a pre-existing SwanQueen relationship for this one please. They're just too cute together not to be, right?

* * *

"We've gotta go," Regina said, watching the grey-purple cloud billowing over the trees behind her. "This is happening now."

Henry released Emma and smiled reassuringly before turning to his other mother and following Regina back towards the forest. Emma watched them go, her heart beating faster in her chest as she glanced up at the sky and realised they were running out of time.

Less than an hour later, Regina ran down into her vault and turned towards the door, raising her hands. She knew what she had to do.

Her hands were shaking when they dropped back to her sides. She flexed her fingers, the powerful magic she had just expelled making the skin tingle in a not entirely pleasant way. She looked around her vault and sighed. So this is where I'll be spending the next few days, she thought, heading over towards the cupboard she had magicked full of supplies earlier in preparation. A glass of wine seemed necessary so she pulled out a bottle of red and looked around for a corkscrew. Great, of course that was the thing she forgot. The bottle was slammed a little too hard back into the cupboard and the door pushed shut. Slumping down on an old chest, she ran her hands through her hair and wondered how she was going to pass the time.

"Regina?"

Her head snapped up. She knew that voice. She also knew she had very specifically told that voice to stay far away from her vault until the curse had been broken.

"Emma," she said, standing and making her way towards the doorway which still shimmered with magic.

The blonde appeared on the other side, seconds later.

"Don't come any closer," Regina said. "I've sealed myself in."

"I had to see you one more time," Emma said, stepping forwards but stopping when she sensed the pulsing power of Regina's spell.

"And I told you that you need to stay away from me. You know what this spell does, Emma. You know exactly who I'm going to want to find when it falls."

"I don't care," the blonde said stubbornly. "I had to say goodbye."

"We said goodbye," Regina sighed, crossing her arms and looking at the woman stood just a few feet from her, green eyes burning with determination.

"A phone call telling me you're locking yourself away and that Henry is safe isn't what I mean," Emma said. "Please, remove this spell and let me in."

Regina scowled. She never could resist the pout Emma was currently wearing.

"I can't remove the spell," she said. "It would rather defeat the purpose if I could release myself, wouldn't it?"

"Oh, right," Emma nodded. "Well, then let me do it."

Regina rolled her eyes. "I'm not stopping you," she pointed out.

Emma grinned and quickly raised her hands, focusing her body and magic on reading and identifying Regina's spell. It was complex, the nerve endings in her body thrumming as she felt her powers lock onto the charm, but she knew what she needed to do. Seconds later, the forcefield keeping Regina trapped inside the crypt disappeared and Emma rushed forwards.

She gathered Regina into her arms, breathing in the familiar scent as they hugged tightly. Regina buried her face in Emma's neck, realising how grateful she was that the blonde had come to her. She had needed this. She had needed to hold Emma one more time before the spell which was descending over Storybrooke eclipsed everything but hatred from her heart.

"I'm scared," Regina whispered.

"Me too," Emma admitted, pulling away and placing a soft kiss to Regina's lips. They were salty and Emma realised the woman was crying. She reached up her hand and wiped the tears away with the pad of her thumb before kissing Regina once more, prying her lips apart with her own.

"It's going to be ok," she said when they broke apart, Regina's hands fisted in the back of her jacket, clinging almost desperately to the blonde.

"Is it?" Regina asked. "You didn't know me as the Evil Queen, Emma. She was terrifying. _I_ was terrifying."

"And you'll be here, safe and away from those you love," Emma assured. "You're not going to hurt anyone, Regina, I promise."

"You need to leave," Regina said. "We're running out of time and we both know where I'm going to be heading as soon as this spell touches me."

"One more kiss?" Emma said, looking imploringly into Regina's beautiful brown eyes.

Regina smiled and stepped impossibly closer. Their bodies pressed tightly together as their mouths found one another again. Neither wanted to think about how long it might be until they were reunited so they lost themselves to the sensations. Regina's tongue begged Emma's mouth for entrance and she moaned as she tasted the sheriff. Her tongue swept across Emma's, a faint hint of cinnamon making her shudder with pleasure. Emma's fingernails dug into her ass through the fabric of her skirt. She smiled into the kiss as she felt Emma's hips rock forwards, the heat and desire coiling within both of them. Emma nipped playfully at Regina's tongue as she pulled it back into her own mouth, Emma's tongue following it into the wet warmth, teasingly sliding along Regina's lip before delving deeper. They lost themselves in each other, as they so often did, and it wasn't until Regina pulled away with a reluctant whimper that they realised just how long they had been intertwined.

"You need to leave," Regina said, flushed and breathless.

"I don't want to," Emma said, her voice soft and loving.

"I don't want you to either," Regina admitted. "But you have to. We don't have long left before this curse is upon us."

"I love you," Emma said, kissing Regina's swollen lips gently.

"I love you too," Regina said. "And that is why you need to go, before this spell turns me against you and that love turns to hatred. I think we both know what the Evil Queen does to people she hates."

"I'm going to break this curse, Regina," Emma said. "Elsa and I are going to find a way to stop this, I promise. And when that happens I'll be coming straight here and getting you out."

"I can't wait," Regina smiled.

Emma smiled back before stepping away from Regina and backing out of the vault, her eyes never leaving the sad, scared face before her.

"Bye," Emma said, as she reached the foot of the stairs.

"Goodbye," Regina said, watching as the mass of blonde hair disappeared.

She sighed heavily and stepped back into her vault. Before she sealed herself in, she flicked her hand towards the cupboard and smiled slightly when she heard the clink of metal against glass. Raising her hands towards the doorway, Regina recast the curse and watched the air shimmering with magic once more. Walking back to the cupboard, she picked up the corkscrew before turning to the wine bottle, opening it, and pouring herself a large glass. She needed it.


	10. 04-11 - Shattered Sight

A/N: angry SwanQueen sex time!

* * *

"I've been waiting a long time for this," Regina growled, her eyes burning with delight.

Emma smirked, thinking her cruel words had done exactly what she had wanted them to and sparked Regina's hatred for her once more. The brunette stalked towards her, eyes dark and dangerous. She kept coming. Emma frowned, unsure why there wasn't a fireball hurtling towards her face at that instant. The ribbon around her wrist seemed to tighten. Then Regina was in front of her, their faces mere millimetres apart.

"Re-?"

The rest of Emma's words were muffled by the firm press of plump lips against her own. She squeaked in surprise as Regina's hands landed on her waist, gripping her tightly before turning her and pushing backwards. Her shoulder blades thumped hard against the stone wall, Regina's mouth still pressed furiously against her own. The lips had parted, trying to pry Emma's open too. The blonde's brain was going into overdrive, desperately working to understand what was happening.

Regina was kissing her.

Regina was not trying to kill her.

Regina's hands were sliding up beneath her brown jacket, fingers digging almost painfully into her flesh.

Heat was coiling between her own legs, a familiar ache deep within her as Regina's tongue finally entered her mouth, swiping aggressively at her own before sucking the tip.

When Emma's moan filled the vault, Elsa, who had been rooted to the spot in stunned silence by what was happening, quickly turned and fled back up to the dark graveyard. Neither woman noticed nor cared that she had left.

Regina tugged harshly at Emma's jacket, her fingernails scraping Emma's bare arms as she dragged the material down them, tossing it to the floor. A bite to Emma's lip had the blonde crying out but the sound was swallowed by Regina's mouth, still pressed hard against Emma's, her tongue dominating the kiss.

Emma could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Or was it Regina's? The brunette's body was pushed tightly against her own, hands fumbling at the button of her jeans, forcing the zipper down. She gasped as Regina's fingers slithered into the small opening, tugging slightly at her pubic hair before she continued, brushing over her clit and causing Emma's hips to rock forwards. Regina pulled her mouth away from Emma's, the brown eyes still angry and full of hatred and yet there was something else glimmering just below the surface before the kiss resumed.

Emma cried out as Regina's fingers entered her. The constricting fabric of the jeans made the movement stilted and awkward but neither woman cared. Regina suppressed a whimper of delight as she felt Emma's wetness coat her digits and Emma was still trying to process what was happening. When Regina returned her attention to her clit, slicking it with her juices, however, Emma stopped caring what had caused the unexpected turn of events and instead surrendered to the pleasure.

Her hands came up to hold Regina's own hips, the sequins of the elaborate dress scratching her palms but she didn't notice. She angled her mouth downwards slightly, remembering she was taller than Regina, and took control of the kiss. Regina growled at the change and thrust her fingers harder into Emma, reasserting her dominance as she felt the narrow channel quiver around the rough penetration.

"Fuck!" Emma gasped, momentarily distracted and allowing Regina to regain the upper hand.

Regina smirked into the kiss and quickly cast a spell, forcing Emma's hands from her hips and back against the wall, pinning her palms to the cold surface. This was for her, not Emma. Emma was not going to touch her. With the blonde safely restrained, Regina retuned her focus to touching Emma, her fingers speeding up as they moved easily though the copious wetness flooding from the blonde's core.

Emma didn't bother to fight the magic forcing her hands against the wall. She wasn't sure she wanted to use them anyway. Surrendering to Regina seemed … right, somehow. So she all but relaxed into it; the aggressive kiss, the rigorous thrusts, the insistent press of the brunette's body against her own.

It didn't take long to push Emma over the edge. Her body thrummed with confused emotions but her sex knew exactly what it wanted.

Regina. Her fingers. Her touch. Her attention.

Tight, hard circles over Emma's clit had her wails reverberating off the walls. She threw her head back, banging it against the stone wall but she didn't even feel it. Regina latched her mouth onto the exposed, pale neck before her, sucking hard before she bit down, delighting in the feeling of tender flesh trapped beneath her teeth. A metallic taste told her she had broken the skin and she licked the red droplets away before returning to Emma's mouth and ravaging it once more.

Emma's legs almost gave out when she came and she only remained upright because she was sandwiched between Regina and the wall. Her eyes were closed and her breathing ragged, struggling to recover from the pleasure which had torn through every fibre of her body. Regina slid her hand from Emma's jeans and waited until deep green eyes were open again. When she saw the familiar emerald colour, she brought her fingers to her lips and licked Emma's tangy essence from them. Emma watched, her eyes darkening.

"What just happened?" Emma asked, her voice hoarse.

"Your worst quality," Regina replied, satisfied that her fingers were clean once more.

"What?" Emma frowned.

She hadn't exactly ever grasped what the spell of shattered sight would do. Forcing people to see the worst qualities in people they loved had been the gist of it but with the recent turn of events, she was even more confused than before.

"You," Regina said, her voice low and dripping with sex, "have taunted me for years, Miss Swan. I have watched you parade around town with an endless procession of worthless men and flaunt your beauty to anyone who can grow a beard and all the while you've been leading me on. The way you look at me, the way you act towards me, the things you have done for me, the way you … smile at me. Everything makes me want you. And I can't have you. It's infuriating and now I can see it for what it really is: an act. You don't want Hook. You didn't want Neal or August or Graham. You wanted me to be jealous. You wanted me. And now I can have you."

Emma blinked. What?

"I hated that about you," Regina went on. "I hated that I want you. I hated that I couldn't have you. I hated that you came to this town and turned my life upside down. But now," she said, stepping forwards and pressing her body against Emma's again. "Now I can have you, can't I? Now I can see that you want me too. I can feel," a hand returned to cup Emma's dripping sex, "how much you want me and I know you're burning with desire right now."

Emma said nothing. She couldn't deny it, though. Her fingers itched to slide beneath the elaborate dress, tug down the Evil Queen's underwear and feast on the more intimate part of Regina. Emma might not have spoken her innermost thoughts but her eyes told Regina everything she needed to know. She chuckled, running her finger down from the blonde's delicate collarbone over the swell of her breast and down her toned stomach before hooking it into the open waistband of her jeans.

"Oh, I don't think you've apologised nearly enough to deserve _that_ ," Regina murmured, beginning to wresting Emma's jeans down her legs before giving up and magicking them away, along with her boots, socks and panties. "No. You don't get to touch me until I have had my fill of you. And believe me," Regina said as she knelt on the floor before the blonde, "after four years, that's going to take some time."


	11. 04-12 - Heroes and Villains

A/N: OMG but what if guys!

Oh and heads up for anal play … and the C word.

* * *

"You're mistaking me for my mother. Besides you don't need a speech you need a drinking buddy. Shots?"

Regina's eyebrows rose slightly as she looked at the blonde who had sat down next to her. Green eyes smiled back at her, warm and friendly.

"Are you buying?"

"The first few rounds, at least," Emma grinned.

"Why not."

Emma motioned to the waitress and seconds later two shot glasses landed in front of them. Each woman took one, clinked them together and downed the liquid. Regina winced at the vodka burned the back of her throat. Emma shook her head, the warmth of the alcohol still on her tongue. She held up another two fingers straight away, knowing Regina needed more than a thimbleful to forget her heartbreak that afternoon.

Once the forth consecutive shot had been swallowed, Regina held up a hand.

"If we're going to continue this," she said, her voice still depressingly steady, "I suggest we move somewhere our son is less likely to find us."

"Good point," Emma nodded, glancing around the diner and realising that the sheriff and the former mayor were sitting there about to get blind drunk surrounded by most of Storybrooke.

She pulled out a twenty dollar bill, slapped it onto the counter and slid off the stool. Regina followed, gathering her coat on the way out and thanking Emma who was holding the door open for her.

The streets were cold and quiet. Without a word, the two women began to walk towards The Rabbit Hole. After all, there was nowhere else to drink in the small town and neither woman wanted to go back to their respective homes. Regina's would be far too quiet, too full of memories. And Emma's would be far too loud, too full of family and celebration.

The bar was surprisingly busy, the music carrying towards them through the evening air even before they had opened the door. Emma took Regina's coat and hung it up, along with her own before following the brunette over to the bar where she was already ordering them a bottle of tequila.

"Oh really?" Emma said, eyeing the bottle with suspicion.

"If we're going to do this then we're doing it right," Regina replied, thanking the bartender who had just placed several wedges of lemon on a plate and a salt shaker beside the bottle.

"Very well," Emma said. "But you may live to regret this."

She picked up the bottle and followed Regina, who had the lemons and salt and was heading for an empty table near the back of the bar. Despite the early hour, there were several groups already on the dance floor and they weaved their way through the sweaty bodies until they reached the quieter end of the room.

Regina sat opposite Emma and instantly reached for a piece of lemon. Wiping it on her hand, she sprinkled some salt onto the dampened skin and placed the wedge carefully between her thumb and forefinger. Emma watched, impressed. When Regina arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, the blonde quickly followed suit, preparing the before and after tastes and then picking up at shot glass of tequila which Regina had poured for her.

"To forgetting men," Regina said, raising her glass in a toast.

"To forgetting men," Emma repeated.

Simultaneously, both women licked their salty hands, threw back the tart liquid and shoved the lemon piece between their lips. As soon as the acidic juice filled their mouths, the burn of the alcohol was diluted and they both grinned, dropping the used lemons to the table before reaching for a second.

* * *

"Let's dance!"

"What?" Emma asked, blinking in an attempt to clear her blurry vision. It didn't work.

"Dance!" Regina shouted again, leaning heavily on the table now strewn with lemon wedges. Less than half the bottle of tequila remained.

Emma nodded and slid from her chair, following the brunette onto the now crowded dance floor. She bumped into Regina who had stopped abruptly and grasped her hips to stop herself falling over.

"Oops," she slurred as Regina turned around and gave her a confused look. "Sorry." Her hands released the brunette at once, holding them up in mock surrender.

Regina just laughed at the drunken woman before she began to dance, hips rhythmically swaying to the pulsing beat. Emma stared for a moment before she too began to dance, although rather less elegantly. They lost themselves to the music, their veins swimming with alcohol as they moved. Emma grabbed Regina's hand, pulling her towards her and spinning her around. Regina giggled before pushing Emma into a spin of her own.

The blonde stumbled, her feet tangled together, until Regina's arms wrapped around her waist, pulling their bodies flushed together.

"Thanks," Emma said, as she regained her balance and realised her face was mere inches from Regina's.

Regina said nothing. Her gaze slid from Emma's eyes to her parted lips, and back up again. Emma's breath hitched. They moved slowly towards each other, neither one of them thinking about what might happen next. The kiss was clumsy, Emma's lips almost missing Regina's before hands on her hips steadied her. Regina rocked onto her toes, pushing her mouth a little harder against Emma's as the blonde's arms encircled her body. Lips parted, tongues met. And everything faded away.

There was a desperation to it, an animalistic hunger as their tongues collided and duelled for control. Emma nibbled Regina's lip before sucking it into her mouth, flickering her tongue over the sensitive flesh. Regina growled into the kiss as she pulled her lip free, the slippery pop lost in the music. She reconnected their mouths quickly, biting down hard on Emma's tongue so it retreated back into the blonde's mouth, followed by Regina's where it explored every inch of Emma it could reach.

A body bumped into Emma, forcing the couple apart.

"Sorry," came the shouted apology, unaware of what they had interrupted.

Emma ignored the man. She was too busy staring at the flushed cheeks and almost black eyes of the woman before her. Grabbing Regina's hand, she led the way off the dance floor and towards the toilets.

Regina Mills never thought of herself as someone who might be found having sex whilst pushed up against a bathroom stall door at the back of a noisy bar. But then again she never thought she would be having sex with a woman, let alone Emma Swan.

Emma was kneeling on the floor before her, her hands fumbling for the zipper to Regina's skirt. Once found, it was tugged down and the skirt fell to the floor. Silently cursing pantyhose, Emma removed Regina's shoes and pulled the thin black material down too. She glanced up at the brunette when she had just one barrier left between herself and Regina's core. Brown eyes, blown wide with lust, looked down at her.

"Fuck me," she growled, reaching for Emma to move nearer.

The lace was ripped down her legs in seconds and as Regina widened her stance, she cried out as Emma's tongue pressed hotly against her clit. Alcohol dulled the sensations slightly but she could feel the slippery muscle, sliding through her folds and circling her entrance before returning to her bundle of nerves. Flickering the hood, Emma sucked hard, causing Regina's hips to buck forwards. Hands landed on her waist, pinning her to the door as Emma sucked again.

Neither woman cared about being quiet and Regina moaned in pleasure, her fingers laced through Emma's hair and tugging the magical tongue closer to her sex. Emma did just that, anchoring her mouth even tighter as she laved the sensitive core. Reaching down, she thrust two fingers deep into Regina, the walls parting willingly despite the abrupt intrusion. A hiss of delight left the former mayor's lips as she felt Emma's fingers curling against the front of her channel, stroking the ridged wall as they slid out. And then suddenly they entered her again, pushing deeper, harder. Regina bit her lip, watching as Emma's hand moved steadily between her legs, her mouth still sealed around her clit. Green eyes glanced up at her, watching as she drew closer and closer to her peak.

Emma pulled back, her fingers leaving Regina who suddenly felt empty.

"Turn around."

"What?" Regina panted, her brain fogged by both arousal and alcohol.

"Turn around," Emma repeated, grasping the woman's hips and turning her until her front was pressed against the door.

Emma swore under her breath as she found herself face to … well, ass, with Regina Mills. The brunette looked over her shoulder, breathing heavily as she waited for Emma to act.

Two hands grasped her ass cheeks, squeezing them hard. She could feel half moon crescents digging into her skin and groaned in delight. Emma smirked as she leaned forward, biting the soft flesh lightly before she nudged Regina's thighs apart with her hands. Once spread, she dragged her tongue from Regina's clit, over her entrance and up towards the tight puckered hole. Regina's body stiffened for a fraction of a second but the moment the hot, slippery tongue glided over her sensitive, most private area, she let out a keening wail of delight.

Immensely grateful that Regina had obliged her, Emma ran her tongue over the ridged skin, fluttering over the hole before she reached her fingers up and resumed her pounding of Regina's pussy. The brunette cried out when the fingers re-entered her dripping channel, pushing back against Emma's tongue as she realised just how close she was to coming. Emma licked harder, the salvia from her mouth mixing with Regina's essence to lubricate her work. She probed gently, the tip of her tongue pushing against the tight ring of muscles. Regina cried out as she came, just as Emma's tongue entered her ass. She slammed her hand into the door, the sensations overwhelming her convulsing body as she felt Emma's tongue moving in and out of her ass, the fingers buried deep within her cunt.

Her knees gave out and she slid down the door, forcing Emma to move away from her and pull her fingers free. Panting and sweaty, Regina lay there, half dressed, on the floor of the toilet cubicle. Emma wiped her mouth on the back of her hand and sat back against the toilet itself, waiting.

It took a couple of minutes for Regina to regain what little composure she had before they entered the bathroom stall. She glanced down at her naked lower half and then at Emma. The fully dressed blonde was looking at her like she was the most beautiful, most delicious woman on the planet. Regina's heart thudded harder in her chest.

"Come back to mine?" Regina asked, her voice hoarse.

Emma nodded at once and seconds later, purple smoke filled the bathroom.

They landed on the bed, Regina's discarded clothes tangled between their bodies. Emma tossed the skirt and undergarments aside as she rolled on top of the brunette, kissing her softly.

"So … I guess we forgot the men," Regina said when they broke apart.

"I guess we did," Emma nodded, sliding her hands up Regina's sides and beginning to tug the purple sweater over her head just as Regina began to push her own jacket down her arms.


	12. 04-13 - Darkness on the Edge of Town

A/N: this episode was just filled with possible sexy SwanQueen moments. It took me ages to work out where I wanted to slip in their fun times. In the end, I settled for the beginning scene between our two favourite ladies in Regina's office for the simple reason that it was the one time I could legitimately let them go at it on the desk …

Also, yes this is completely out of character but who cares when SwanQueen are together?

* * *

"Do I look like I can pry them off with my teeth?" Regina asked, sending a sceptical but teasing look towards the blonde who smirked over her shoulder. "I'm a queen and a bit more refined."

"Former queen," Emma said.

Regina raised an arched eyebrow. "Technically I'm still the queen. Despite countless attempts, no one succeeded in dethroning me, remember?"

"Do you want to be the queen though?" Emma asked, her face grimacing in concentration as she tried to screw the cap off her root beer.

"Well, not the evil kind," Regina admitted. "But I can't deny I liked bossing people around."

Emma laughed. "Yeah, and you're pretty good at it too."

"I've had a lot of practice," Regina laughed.

"Did you boss Robin around too?"

There was a heavy silence. Emma kicked herself for even bringing up the man who had somehow, inexplicably, walked away from Regina. The brunette herself felt her features darken as images of Robin floated into her mind.

"Sometimes," she said, her voice quieter. "He liked it."

Emma balked at the added tidbit of information. Curious, she walked back over to Regina's desk and sat down, the two root beers discarded on the desk.

"You … you and Robin, you guys were into that stuff?" Emma asked, her heart beating a little faster.

"What stuff?" Regina asked, waving her hand at the beer bottles and popping the caps off before leaning over to pick one up and taking a swig.

"Control. Role play. Bondage."

Regina wet her suddenly dry lips. "Not exactly," she said. "He … we … it was easier if I told him what I wanted him to do," she said at last.

Emma's eyebrows rose. She hadn't been expecting that. "Oh."

Regina shuffled uncomfortably in her chair. She had never been one to discuss her sex life with her friends. Until the last year or so, she had had little of either anyway. When she at last raised her head to look at Emma, she was surprised to see an almost sympathetic look on the pale features.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Regina asked, frowning.

"Sorry," Emma said, immediately reached for her own root beer and downing a considerable amount as she tried to work out how to say what was racing through her mind. "It's just … someone like you deserves a lover who knows what they're doing. And if you do like telling people want to do, then you should have a lover who wants to submit to you."

"Like Hook submits to you?" Regina asked, her brain too slow to stop the uncensored words from tumbling from her lips.

Emma smirked, her cheeks a little flushed. "Actually, it's the other way around. Hook is the one in control."

Regina stood up abruptly and walked over to the window, her root beer still clasped in her hands. She stared onto the deserted Storybrooke streets and tried to calm herself. She had no idea why she had reacted the way she did when Emma had told her about her sexual adventures with Hook but she couldn't ignore the pounding of her heart, the rushing of blood in her ears, nor the throbbing between her legs.

"Regina?"

The brunette jumped when a tentative hand landed on her shoulder. She turned slowly, looking up into the nervous face of Emma who had followed her to the far corner of the office.

"Are you ok?" the blonde asked, peering curiously into Regina's face as she tried desperately to school her features.

"Fine."

"No, you're not," Emma said. "I'm sorry if I upset you. I just … I mean, you asked," she finished lamely.

"You deserve better than that pirate," Regina spat at last. "And you shouldn't submit to someone who isn't worthy of you."

Emma frowned. She knew Regina wasn't Hook's biggest fan but she didn't think the brunette cared that much about the fact that they were together. Aside from the endless stream of nicknames which she shot at the man, Regina had predominantly ignored the fact that Hook had become a regular member of the hero team.

"Submitting isn't about being better or worse than someone," Emma said slowly. "It's a preference. Some people like to dominate, like you or Hook. Some people like to be controlled, like me."

Regina's eyes were burning, the rich chocolate almost eclipsed by blackness. She took a step towards Emma. The blonde didn't move.

"Hook doesn't deserve you," she said slowly. "Hook does not appreciate what an incredible woman you are Emma. You should be with someone who will tell you every single day how amazing you are and how lucky they are to even know you let alone … touch you."

Emma said nothing. She didn't know what to say. Regina took a deep breath before she continued.

"Take off your jacket."

Emma's eyes widened. Did she hear that right? Did Regina Mills, the adoptive mother to her son really just ask her to take her jacket off. Even as she was trying to convince herself she had misheard, the heat began to coil between her thighs. After a moment's hesitation she shrugged the material from her shoulders and threw it carelessly towards the couch. Regina let the smallest of smiles flicker across her lips before she walked past Emma and back to her desk. She sat down in her chair, taking another sip of her beer.

"Come here."

Emma found her feet moving almost of their own accord and seconds later she was stood in front of Regina, the brunette looking up at her pensively. After a slight pause, Regina placed her drink on the desk and leaned backwards, surveying the blonde.

"Take off your top."

Emma did so, her arms getting tangled in the material as they trembled slightly in anticipation. She tossed it aside, glancing down at her flushed chest and the simple bra she had chosen that morning. She suddenly wished she had worn a nicer one. The look on Regina's face however made Emma think it didn't matter one bit to the woman who was now reaching towards her body.

"You … you can say stop," Regina said as her hands hovered inches from Emma's hips, wanting to offer the woman a chance to get out of whatever was about to happen.

Wordlessly, Emma shook her head. She squealed as Regina pulled her down into her lap, knees landing heavily either side of the brunette's thighs. Regina gasped as she felt the weight of Emma above her, and quickly snaked her hands around Emma's neck, pulling their mouths together for the first time. Emma whimpered as sharp teeth dug into her bottom lip before a tongue pushed roughly into her mouth. She moaned as she tasted Regina, the woman's tongue plundering her mouth as she kissed her, hard and desperate. Hands had encircled her body, fingernails raking up and down her bare back. Emma's own hands were braced on the back of the chair, the leather slippery under her sweaty palms.

Regina pulled Emma closer to her, forcing the bra clad chest against her own. Emma's tongue slid into her mouth and she nipped the tip until it retreated. She smiled into the kiss as Emma let out a sigh of content as Regina continued to dominate.

Suddenly, Emma found herself pushed up and off. Her eyes snapped open, afraid of what she would see on Regina's face. Regret, anger, guilt? Instead, unadulterated lust greeted her as Regina licked her swollen lips and reached for a sip of her drink.

"Take off those jeans," she said, her eyes lingering on the flat abdomen.

Emma hesitated for a fraction of a second before she began to fumble with the button. Tugging the zipper, she wiggled her hips as she peeled the tight material down, toeing off her boots as she did so. When she straighten once more, clad only in her bra and cotton underwear, she looked down at Regina from under her long, pale lashes, and waited.

Regina said nothing. Instead she allowed herself to drink in the beautiful body before her. Emma's curves were subtler than her own but her femininity shone through as Regina's gaze raked over the gentle swell of her breasts, the toned stomach and the wide hips.

She stood up. In her high heels, she was taller than Emma who was now bare foot. She turned slowly on the spot and swung her hair over her left shoulder.

"Unzip me," she instructed over her right.

The fingers trembled slightly as they tried to grasp the tag. Emma held her breath as she watched the plastic teeth peel apart, exposing the tanned, smooth skin of Regina's back. When the dress was completely undone, she allowed her fingertip to dip just inside, stroking over the previously hidden area. Regina bit back a sigh at the tender contact. Turning back around, she reached up and slid her dress down her arms. It fell forwards, exposing her breasts encased in their lace balconette bra. Emma moaned.

"Like what you see?" Regina asked coyly as she pushed her dress down over her hips and kicked it under her desk.

Emma didn't trust herself to speak so she just nodded.

"Good."

Regina closed the magical fairytale book on her desk and moved it to one side. In its place, she put herself. Sitting daintily on the edge of the large wooden surface, she parted her thighs and indicated for Emma to step in between them. She did, at once.

"Please me."

Emma shivered with delight at the low, raspy command. She licked her lips nervously before she laid each hand on the tops of Regina's thighs, smoothing the skin there gently. Regina leaned back on her own hands, watching. Emma's fingers drifted higher, skating along the lace edge of the black panties. When at last Emma's hands brushed up her sides and cupped Regina's breasts, the brunette arched into the touch, her head thrown back. Emma leaned forwards, placing a kiss to the exposed neck as she reached around to unclasp the bra. Regina skin was sweet beneath Emma's laving tongue.

With the bra discarded, Emma's hands rubbed hard nipples beneath their palms, Regina's heavy breathing rising and falling as her breasts were squeezed and massaged. She shuffled herself towards the edge of the desk, urging Emma onwards. The blonde understood.

With a final, sucking kiss to Regina's neck, Emma knelt down. It was uncomfortable on the wooden floorboards but the moment Regina's scent hit her nostrils, Emma didn't care. She hooked her fingers into the lace panties and tugged them down, Regina lifting herself away from the desk to allow Emma to do so. Dropping the scrap of material to the floor, Emma stared in wonder at the shaved, glistening sex before her. She licked her lips. Regina shuddered at the sight.

"Please me."

The repeated command jolted Emma back to reality and she leaned forwards, between Regina's parted thighs. It had been a long time since she had been with a woman but the moment her tongue slid through Regina's folds, Emma remembered what to do. She wrapped her arms around Regina's hips, her fingernails digging into the toned ass and pulling her closer to the edge of the table. Regina complied, lifting her legs as she did so and draping them over Emma's shoulders.

A long, slow swipe from the entrance to Regina's channel up and over her clit had the brunette gasping. Emma repeated the move, pressing firmly as she passed the tight bundle of nerves. She sucked a fold into her mouth, running her tongue over the slick skin before releasing it with a pop and focusing on the other. Regina's heel bit into her back. She didn't care.

Her tongue dipped lower, pushing just inside Regina's pulsing entrance. The wetness was thicker here, the taste more intense and Emma lapped eagerly, gathering the juices on her tongue and savouring the spicy flavour. Regina's arms began to shake with the effort of holding herself up as Emma's tongue pressed further inside her. The channel walls clenched, squeezing around the slippery muscle before it retreated. A cry from Regina made Emma smirk when she latched onto the brunette's clit, her teeth worrying the sensitive mass before a soothing suck was applied followed by a teasing lave of her tongue.

Regina's body was pushed to the edge within minutes. Emma alternated between entering Regina's hole and torturing her clit until the heel in her back almost made her cry out in pain. Regina's hands flew to Emma's head as she crested, pulling the wonderful mouth even closer to her sex as her body spasmed through the pleasure. Emma never stopped licking, even when she could feel the delicate trickle of blood running down her back where at last Regina's heel had cut her skin. It was worth it.

Regina collapsed back against the desk, her breathing uneven and her eyes closed. Emma felt the release of pressure from her head but was reluctant to move from her new favourite position. As the legs fell from her shoulders however, she got to her feet, licking her lips and feeling her back to try and gauge the damage. Not that she really cared.

"I'm impressed."

Regina's compliment distracted Emma from trying to look at her back in the reflection in the window and she turned to see Regina sitting up, pushing damp hair from her neck.

"Thanks," Emma said, an almost shy smile on her face.

"Now it's your turn."

Emma's eyes widened once more as a completely naked Regina Mills slipped from her desk and stalked towards her, heels still in place. Emma found herself spun around and pushed against the desk. Before she had a chance to climb onto it, Regina's hand had forced its way into the front of her panties. Emma felt her legs wobble as two fingers bumped against her tender clit and pushed further, slicked at once with Emma's own juices.

"So wet," Regina cooed in her ear as her other hand released Emma's bra with a careless flick of her fingers and moved to harshly pinch a hard nipple.

Emma gasped but said nothing. She didn't think there was any need to confirm what they both knew to be true. Regina's fingers slid up and down a few times before, without warning, entering Emma. She cried out, her body unaccustomed to such an abrupt intrusion. Regina didn't stop. She pumped two fingers in and out several times, biting her lip as she realised just how turned on Emma had been when she was between her legs. Her fingers moved faster, reaching deeper inside Emma as the blonde began to shudder beneath her. Regina pushed Emma onto the desk, her body collapsing easily and Regina lifting up her legs and wrapping them around her own waist. She liked to feel close to her lovers.

The thrusts sped up, Regina using the leverage from the table to pound in and out even faster, even harder. Emma's cries flew around the office, echoing off the walls as Regina's fingers moved inside her. A third was added, drawing a keening wail of delight from Emma's lips as her body stretched wider. Regina kept moving, unrelenting in her determination to bring Emma to her peak.

A hot, wet mouth covering Emma's clit pushed her over the edge. With three fingers buried deep in her pussy and teeth scraping daringly over her nerve bundle, Emma's body convulsed through its orgasm. Her legs tightened around Regina, pulling the older woman closer as she thrashed on the desk, sending paperwork and stationary to the floor.

When she became too sensitive, Emma's hand reached down and tried to push Regina away. The brunette growled. She didn't take orders from anyone. Reaching up with her free hand, she clasped Emma's wrist and tugged it away, pushing even harder inside as she did so. Emma screamed, her body arching off the desk as, with a laving tongue and a sucking mouth torturing her clit, she came again, her juices leaking out and flowing down Regina's chin before they dripped onto the desk below them.

Regina eventually pulled away, her face shining with Emma's essence and her cheeks flushed. Emma was quiet, lying still and spent on the desk. Cleaning herself up, Regina began to get dressed and had almost finished zipping up her dress when Emma shakily pushed herself up onto her elbows.

"Wow."

Regina smiled softly at the woman clearly struggling for words.

"Was that ok?" Regina asked.

"Yes," Emma nodded, sliding off the desk and looking around for her panties. Locating them under the chair, she stepped into them and pulled them up. "But unexpected."

Regina chuckled. "Perhaps."

Emma stepped out of the way and allowed a fully clothed Regina to take her seat. She watched as Emma got dressed, admiring the body which was slowly covered up before her. Her fingers reached out at one point, tracing the line of blood which her heel had drawn on the blonde's back, muttering an apology which Emma dismissed as unnecessary. When Emma's jacket was firmly in place, she walked to the seat on the other side of the desk and Regina rotated her chair until they were sat opposite each other.

"Ok, so this is weird," Emma said after a moment of silence.

"Perhaps," Regina nodded. "But only if we make it."

As she spoke, she reached out and swiped her finger through the pool of Emma's juices still glistening on her desk. Bringing her finger to her mouth, she sucked the digit clean, never once taking her eyes off Emma, who swallowed thickly.

"Hook-,"

"You're worthy of someone better than him," Regina interrupted, her tone hard.

"I know," Emma nodded. "But he still deserves more than what we've just done."

Even Regina had the good grace to look guilty. She had never wanted to force Emma to cheat. Not that Emma hadn't been willing to participate in what had just transpired between them.

"So, what are you going to tell him?" Regina asked, the previously commanding authority fading fast.

"I'll end things as kindly as I can," Emma said.

"End things?"

"Yeah," Emma nodded. "Isn't … isn't that what you want?"

"Yes," Regina said at once. "But .. only if you want that too."

Emma smiled at the suddenly shy woman before her. Standing up, she walked around to Regina's side of the desk and leaned down to place a soft, chaste kiss to the lips below her. She could taste her own essence on Regina's tongue as the brunette deepened the kiss, desperate for more of Emma.

"I'll tell him today," Emma said when she pulled back.

"And then you'll come over to mine," Regina said. It wasn't a request.

"Yes," Emma grinned widely, returning to her own chair and pulling the fairytale book towards her. "I'll be over as soon as I can be."

"I'll be waiting," Regina said, her voice a little deeper. "And I don't like to be kept waiting too long."

Emma pulled her cell from her pocket and scrolled through her contacts.

"Killian, where are you?" she asked into the receiver. "We need to talk."

Regina smirked as she watched the blonde walk quickly from her office. She might have felt a twinge of guilt for the pirate but that feeling was almost eclipsed by the heat already pooling between her thighs as she thought about all the delicious things she and Emma were about to experience together. Slamming the storybook shut, Regina gathered her things and hurried from the room, desperate to get home and start making preparations.


	13. 04-14 - Unforgiven

A/N: pretend there's established SwanQueen relationship, because, let's face it, that's what we do every week anyway!

* * *

"OK, Regina, that's enough," Emma said, looking pleadingly at the woman before her. "Let's go down to the vending machine and get a snack. Henry, can you take Marco and Pinocchio down there for me. I need a word with your mom quickly."

Henry nodded and moved past the two women, Marco and Pinocchio following. Emma waited until the door had snapped shut behind them before she stood from the couch and rushed over to Regina, enveloping the woman in her arms.

Regina stifled a sob as she collapsed into Emma's embrace, her own arms encircling Emma and holding her tightly.

It hadn't worked. Pinocchio hadn't given her the answers she was hoping for in her quest for the author. The boy had been useless, even with Emma there to jog his memory about his time when he was August. They were back at square one, the same damn place they had been since she and Emma first started working on Operation Mongoose together.

Regina sighed heavily, squeezing Emma closer to her. At least one good thing had come from the time the two women had spent searching for the author. After countless nights together in Regina's office, the inevitable had happened and Regina had finally given in to her desire for the blonde. Even if they never did succeed in forcing the mysterious person behind the storybook to write Regina her happy ending, at least they were together now. And happy, she realised just as Emma's soothing voice dragged her from her reverie.

"We'll find him," Emma murmured, her breath ticking Regina's ear as she spoke. "I promise you we will find the author, one way or another."

"I just … I thought Pinocchio would give me some answers," Regina said, pulling away and wiping a few tears from her face. "But it was yet another dead end."

"We don't know that," Emma said, reaching to tilt Regina's face up so their eyes met. "Don't give up on this idea, Regina, because I think it's a good lead. Maybe with time and encouragement and a little less Evil Queen around, he'll remember something."

Regina blushed. "I didn't mean to … become her," she admitted, remembering the feeling of darkness as it seeped into her bones, the white-hot anger rising uncontrollably inside her. "I guess I'd just become used to people giving me what I wanted when I was her. It was instinct."

"Well it scared the shit out of Pinocchio," Emma remarked. "And me, for that matter."

Regina chuckled. "Sorry."

"It's ok," Emma said, leaning down to kiss Regina's plump lips. "You're not her any more."

"No, but she's still a part of me," Regina said, looping her arms around Emma's waist and tugging the blonde a little closer. "Most of the time she's lying dormant but when I'm upset or angry, I have to fight to keep her at bay."

"Just don't let her loose when I forget to make the bed or leave the milk out or do some other foolish thing," Emma said, a curious look on her face.

Regina raised a sculpted eyebrow. "Is there something you want to tell me?" she asked. They might not have been a couple for long but Regina knew when there was something the blonde was hiding.

Emma's own cheeks coloured this time as she realised she would have to confess to her blunder earlier that morning after Regina had left for work. "I replaced it, don't worry."

"Replaced what?" Regina asked, eyes narrowed with suspicion as she looked at the guilty expression on Emma's face.

"Erm .. your perfume bottle."

Regina's eyes darkened slightly and her nostrils flared. Emma leaned back, attempting to wriggle away from the arms still wrapped tightly around her waist. Regina bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself laughing but it was no good. She let out a peel of delight as she watched Emma's petrified face. The blonde frowned in confusion and then scowled when she realised Regina had been teasing her.

"You're mean," Emma said, pulling Regina hard against her body and smothering the giggling mouth with her own.

The laughter died away, replaced by a breathy moan as Emma's tongue pushed insistently into Regina's mouth. Lips parted, allowing Emma to dominate the kiss as Regina's hands fisted in long, blonde hair, anchoring herself closer to the woman making her toes curl. She had never kissed anyone quite like Emma Swan before. Every time they were together it felt like the first time: desperation and passion in equal measure. Hands slid down her body beneath her coat, cupping her ass and squeezing through the tight material of her dress. Regina moaned again, her hips pushed flush against Emma's as the kiss continued. Her fingers curled around blonde tresses, angling Emma's head slightly as the younger woman conceded control to the Mayor. Regina's tongue was welcomed into Emma's hot mouth, her lips caressed by Regina's own as she rocked onto her tip toes to delve even deeper.

Footsteps in the hall outside Regina's office forced them apart. Emma stepped reluctantly away, running her hand through her tangled hair and smiling slightly at the flushed brunette. As the door opened, Emma quickly moved to sit on the couch. Henry's quick eyes darted between his two mothers as he walked in but he said nothing. Marco followed, holding tightly to Pinocchio's free hand. The other hand was clutching a can of soda.

"Hey kid. Do you mind if we ask a few more questions?" Emma asked, patting the couch beside her.

Pinocchio looked warily at Regina and then up at his father.

"I'm sorry, Pinocchio," Regina offered. "I … I didn't mean to lose my temper and it won't happen again."

Emma shot Regina a reassuring smile and then looked expectantly back at Pinocchio who, after a moment's hesitation, walked over to the couch once more.

As Emma began to speak, Henry sidled over to his brunette mother.

"You two are so obvious I'm surprised the whole town doesn't know," he whispered in her ear.

Regina squeaked. Actually squeaked. Emma glanced up at the noise but focused quickly on Pinocchio who was speaking. Regina turned around to stare, open-mouthed at Henry.

"Wha … what do you mean?" she stammered.

"Next time you and Mom make out in your office, you might want to wipe your lipstick off her face."


	14. 04-15 - Enter the Dragon

A/N: Emma's so cute in this episode! And this entire season half is being a right bitch to write because I always end up making these women cheat and I hate it! But I'm trying to justify it somehow. Even though cheating is never justifiable! I'm just looking forward to Season 6 because in my eternally optimistic mind, Robin and Hook will no longer be on the show …

* * *

"I said I was a part of Operation Mongoose, I'm a part of it. You wanted my help, now you're going to get it no matter what it means for both of us. Whatever she has planned tonight, I'll be there."

Regina narrowed her eyes at the stubborn woman in front of her but she couldn't help the small tug of a smile at the corner of her mouth. She had been wrong. When she had accused Emma of never having her back mere weeks before, she had been wrong. Emma had had her back more than anyone else her entire life, and it was only now that she was beginning to see it.

"Ok, let's go and get ready."

With a quick nod to her parents and an almost apologetic smile at Hook, Emma followed Regina from the library and out into the dusky Storybrooke streets.

"Where are we going?" Emma asked, jogging to keep up with the woman who, despite her heels, was striding ahead.

"My vault," Regina replied. "It's not a good idea for us to be out in the open if I'm to convince the villains I'm still one of them."

Emma nodded her understanding and soon the two women were picking their way through the gravestones and up the steps into the Mills mausoleum. Descending into the dark room, Regina cast a quick protection spell to make sure they weren't disturbed before sitting herself down at her potions table and gesturing for Emma to take the seat beside her.

"So, what have the Queens of Darkness got planned for tonight?" Emma asked.

"No idea," Regina replied, tugging off her gloves and rubbing the cut on her hand. "They're not telling me anything. Not yet, anyway. They don't trust me enough to let me in on whatever their secret lead is. All I know is that I have to wait on the corner of Main Street at ten o'clock tonight."

"Who are you meeting?" Emma said.

"Don't know that either," Regina admitted.

Emma sighed and leaned back in her chair. It wasn't much to go on. No, scrap that, it was nothing to go on.

"Well, if they're picking you up in a car, I'll be able to follow you easily enough. And also if you're on foot. The problem will be if they use magic to transport you somewhere," Emma said slowly.

"Luckily this world has its own kind of magic for occasions such as that," Regina said, pulling her cell phone from her pocket and waving it.

"A tracking app?" Emma said, eyebrows raised in surprise. "How do you know about them?"

"I may not originally be from this world but that doesn't mean I can't be up to speed on some of the better inventions of modernity," Regina replied. "Plus I've been using one to keep an eye on Henry for years."

"So that's how you always managed to pop up whenever we were meeting when I first arrived," Emma chuckled. "Ok, I guess it'll work for tonight as well. What's your username?"

Five minutes later and Emma's cell was linked to Regina's, two blinking dots almost on top of each other confirming that their app was indeed working. Regina pocketed her cell and glanced around the vault, thinking.

"What?" Emma asked. She knew that look.

"It's just … what are they after? What is this lead?" Regina said. "I mean, what could possibly be in Storybrooke that Maleficent, Ursula, and Cruella want to get their hands on? If it was dark magic of some kind, I'm sure I would have known about it since it was my curse which created this town in the first place. Which means it's something else. Something which either arrived after the curse was broken or something dark which they can use to track down the author because of a clue they have which I don't."

"So you're sure they haven't changed then?" Emma asked. "After what you said at the town line, I would have thought you would choose to see the best in them and believe they've changed their ways."

"And after spending time with them last night, I am sure that whatever they have planned when they find the author is nothing good," Regina sighed, leaning back in her chair and rubbing her hands over her tired face.

"What happened last night?" Emma asked.

"Lots of shots. A few daredevil games. And more shots," Regina replied, rubbing her palm.

Emma leaned forward and took Regina's hand in her own. Uncurling the fingers, she gasped as she saw a deep cut across the tender skin.

"What happened?" she asked in a whisper.

"I crushed a shot glass," Regina replied, the skin tingling slightly as Emma's finger's rested against her palm.

"What?"

"I was proving a point," she shrugged.

"You were the Evil Queen, not the Incredible Hulk," Emma said, waving her hand and trying to heal the skin with magic.

The cut remained where it was, red and angry.

"Yeah, I tried that too," Regina said. "I guess Mal knew what I was going to do and bewitched the glass. Goodness knows why she'd want me to have a permanent reminder of our alcohol fuelled night but it appears I do."

"How well does Mal know you?" Emma asked. She had always been curious about the relationship between the two powerful sorceresses but had never found a suitable time to slip it into conversation.

"Well," Regina shrugged.

"How well?"

"Very well," Regina replied. "Too well."

"Do you trust her?"

"I did," Regina said. "More than I've ever trusted anyone in my life. But she betrayed me. Before she was resurrected, I hadn't seen her since she left me, transformed into her dragon and flew out of my castle and out of my life."

"You two were -,"

"Together. Yes," Regina nodded, her fingers tracing the fresh wound on her hand, the pain of the touch distracting her from the pain in her heart. "Mal and I were together for years, longer than any other relationship I've had. And then one day, she just left me."

"Why?" Emma asked.

"She met someone else," Regina replied. "She fell out of love with me and wanted to be with him instead."

"Who?"

"I don't know his name," Regina said with a dark laugh. "All I know is that the moment she deserted our castle, that man's fate was sealed."

"You killed him?"

Regina didn't reply. Instead, she got up and walked over to the cabinet where a bottle of scotch was kept for moments such as these. Picking up two tumblers she poured generous servings into each one, passed a glass to Emma, and took a swig of the amber liquid herself.

"Does Mal know?"

"Yes," Regina nodded. "She came back to the castle when she discovered his body. We had an argument. Well, more of a duel, I suppose. She was losing until she transformed and flew off. I could have chased her. I wanted to chase her, to catch her and punish her. But … well, I guess my heart wasn't in it. I think I massacred a village instead, to take my mind off it."

Emma shuddered and placed her glass on the table with a thud. Regina looked up from her own drink and realised what she had said.

"I'm not that woman any more," she assured, taking her seat once more and looking directly into Emma's eyes. "I'll never revert back to who I was then."

"I know," Emma nodded. "But sometimes I forget you were the Evil Queen. To me you're just Regina and I don't think about your past. And then you go and say something like that and I remember that you once had a completely different life. There's part of you I'll never fully be able to understand or … accept."

"I'm not asking you, or anyone for that matter, to accept what I did when I was her," Regina said, her eyes wide and earnest. "All I ask is that you accept the woman I am now."

"I do," Emma said at once, reaching for Regina's hands and grasping them tightly. "I do accept you, Regina. I think you're one of the most remarkable woman I've ever met and I am so proud of how hard you have worked to be a better person. Henry is too. He's so happy his mother is a hero now. You've turned your life around for our son and you are going to get your happy ending, I'm sure of it."

"How do you know?" Regina asked, her eyes glistening slightly.

"Because I'm the saviour," Emma said, a cocky smirk on her face. "It's my job to give you your happy ending, remember?"

Regina swallowed, her gaze flickering down to the pale lips which were still smiling at her. As she stared, the smile faltered, Emma realising what the brunette was focused on.

"Regina?"

Emma let out as gasp as Regina's mouth softly covered her own. Hands still clasped between them, Regina moved her lips slowly, a tentative kiss as she waited for a reaction, any reaction, from the younger woman.

Fingers squeezed slightly. Regina whimpered. Her lips pressed a little harder, relishing in the feeling of the blonde's against them until, at last, they parted. Emma's tongue ghosted along the seam of Regina's lips, tasting the scotch and lipstick mixed there. Regina granted entrance at once, her tongue meeting Emma's in a tender dance.

"Wait."

Emma pulled back as she spoke, her cheeks flushed and her green eyes dark.

"Sorry," Regina said at once.

"No, don't be sorry," Emma said. "But … I think I need an explanation."

"You make me happy," Regina said simply. "You say you're giving everyone in Storybrooke their happy endings but did it ever occur to you that my happy ending might actually be you?"

"No," Emma admitted. "But before a few minutes ago I wasn't exactly thinking of … us, together."

Regina raised an eyebrow. "Really?" she asked. "You're telling me you've never once thought there might be something between us?" Emma's blush darkened. "Exactly," Regina said. "And I have too. But the timing always seemed to be wrong and then … well then Hook and Robin came along."

"Shit, Hook," Emma said, wiping her mouth as if she was trying to erase the passionate kiss she had just shared with her friend.

"Sorry," Regina offered. She knew how it felt to be cheated on and she didn't wish that on anyone, not even the handless wonder.

"No, it's not your fault," Emma sighed.

"Well, I did kiss you first."

"But I kissed you back," Emma countered. "And … and I want to do it again."

Regina's eyes, which had been darting around the vault, snapped back to the suddenly shy blonde. She hesitated before minutely nodding her head, a small smile on her lips.

Emma leaned forward this time, her hands braced on either arm on Regina's chair as their mouths met. This kiss was more confident, both women more eager to explore the other. Their tongues met quickly, swiping and sliding together before Emma's settled back and allowed Regina's to roam her mouth. She moaned as sharp teeth nibbled her lip, her thighs clenched together as she felt Regina's hands reaching up to cup her face, fingers playing with her ear lobes. Regina noticed the hitch in Emma's breath at her touch and smirked. She pulled away from Emma's mouth only to lay a delicate trail of kisses along the strong, defined jawbone until her teasing fingers were replaced by a hot, wet mouth. Emma moaned in delight as Regina sucked the bottom of her ear, biting the soft flesh tenderly before her tongue traced the shell above. It had taken Regina less than five minutes to discover the blonde's weak spot, to which Hook was still oblivious.

Emma cried out as Regina's tongue dipped inside her ear, her hands tugging Regina's body towards her so the brunette somewhat clumsily climbed out of her chair and onto Emma's lap, her tongue still working wonders on Emma's ear. Emma groaned and grabbed Regina's face, crashing their mouths back together and pushing her tongue forcefully into Regina's. The brunette conceded control, rocking herself slightly against Emma as she felt the blonde's hands drift down her sides until they cupped her firm ass, pulling their bodies even closer together.

"Shit, no!" Emma said, breaking the kiss for a second time.

Regina didn't move. She couldn't. Emma's hands were still grasping her butt.

"Are you ok?" Regina asked, brushing a lock of hair from Emma's face and cupping her jaw to encourage the younger woman to look at her.

"This isn't me," Emma huffed. "I don't cheat."

"I know," Regina assured, wriggling her body backwards. Or trying to. Emma's hands tightened and tugged her back into their intimate position. Regina quirked an eyebrow.

"I … I want you," Emma said by way of explanation to Regina's unanswered question. "But I can't do this to Hook."

"I get it," Regina nodded, laying her forehead against Emma's and sighing. "And I guess you can't talk to him tonight because we have this undercover mission we're about to be late for."

"What?" Emma gasped, glancing at her watch and realising it was almost time for Regina's meeting. "Shit, we have to get out of here."

Regina raised her eyebrows and looked pointedly at Emma who was still gripping tightly to her ass.

"Right, sorry," Emma said as she released the brunette who slid from her lap and stood up, straightening her clothes.

Emma stood too, running a hand through her tousled hair and wiping any traces of Regina's lipstick from her mouth.

"So, you're going to follow me wherever I end up tonight?" Regina asked.

"I'll follow you to the ends of the earth," Emma replied, bending to place a chaste kiss to the plump lips before her.

Regina smiled dopily, her heart swelling as she heard Emma's earnest promise. After years of fighting, arguing, begrudging cooperation and eventually genuine friendship, it seemed the two women were at last being completely honest with each other.

"Then let's go and find out what these Queens of Darkness have in store for the Evil Queen."

"Former Evil Queen," Emma corrected, following Regina as she headed out of the vault.

"Former Evil Queen," Regina nodded.

Just before they stepped from the crypt into the graveyard, Emma grabbed Regina's arm and spun her around. The kiss was short, intense and left both women breathless.

"Good luck," Emma whispered.

"I don't need luck," Regina replied. "I've got you."


	15. 04-16 - Poor Unfortunate Souls

A/N: If only Emma had done this! Although I suppose she doesn't do what she says in the show either so …

* * *

"You used to track people for a living," Regina said slowly. "Ca- can you get me a phone number? A way to contact him? Anything?"

Emma looked into wide, pleading eyes before her and her heart broke. How could she deny the woman she was completely in love with and yet how could she possibly help her if it meant the chances of them being together would disappear once more? With Robin gone from Storybrooke, Emma had allowed herself to believe that maybe, _maybe_ , there was hope for them.

Regina's face began to frown in confusion and Emma realised she had taken too long to answer.

"Yeah, sure," she said at last, focusing again on the cup of tea she was making.

"What's wrong?" Regina asked, knowing immediately there was something the blonde wasn't telling her. The tense body, the refusal to meet her gaze, the way she was stirring the cup of tea so fast the brown liquid spun out of the mug and splashed onto the work surface. "Do you know something? Is it Robin? Is he hurt?"

"No," Emma said. "I don't know anything about Robin ."

"Then what aren't you telling me?" Regina asked, arms folded.

Emma glanced over to where Henry was sat beside a still sleeping August. This was so not the place to have this conversation. But from the look on Regina's face, the brunette wasn't going to let up until she knew the truth.

"Wait here," Emma murmured, walking around the kitchen island and crossing the room to give their son his cup of tea. She then turned and walked towards the apartment door, signalling for Regina to follow. Which she did, of course.

The door snapped shut behind them and Emma leaned against the cool wall of the hallway. Regina stood opposite, folded her arms, waiting. After a long time, Emma finally forced herself to look into the bright brown eyes before her and took a deep breath.

"I don't want to find Robin for you," she said simply. "I will, if that's what you insist I do but frankly, I don't want to."

"Why not?" Regina frowned.

"Because he doesn't deserve you," Emma said, her voice a little louder. "He chose her, Regina. He chose Marian over you. And someone who doesn't pick you as their number one priority doesn't deserve to be with you. Why do you care what happens to him? He cared more about his ice cube wife than he did about you so why are you bothering with him now?"

Regina blinked in surprise. "Bothering with him? Emma, I love him."

Emma barked out a laugh. "No you don't. And if you do, you shouldn't."

"You're telling me who to love now?" Regina asked, anger rising inside of her. "You're telling me not to love Robin because he walked away. It doesn't work like that, Emma. I can't just switch my feelings on and off the way you seem to be able to. I may not be Robin's number one, but he's mine."

Emma's heart clenched. "You … you'd still pick him?" Her voice was quieter now, calmer.

"I'll always chose Robin," she replied simply. "He's my True Love."

"No, he isn't."

The whisper was so quiet, Regina barely heard it. Her forehead creased as she took in the hunched posture of the woman before her. She looked … defeated.

"What? Of course he is. Tink's magic proved as much to me back in the Enchanted Forest."

"True Love works both ways," Emma said, raising her head and meeting Regina's confused gaze. "Clearly Tink was having an off day because you and I both know that your love for Robin is stronger than his love for you. That's not right. It's not equal. You deserve someone who loves you as fiercely and as passionately as you do them. That's what True Love is."

"I don't love anyone else," Regina replied. "And no one else loves me. So if Robin isn't my True Love, then who is?"

"I love you."

The words seemed to echo, bouncing off the walls and reverberating back to the two women standing stock still at the top of the stairs. Emma looked steadily into the white face before her, waiting to see what Regina would do with the abrupt revelation.

"You what?" Regina asked, sure she must have misheard.

"I love you," Emma repeated. "Have done for years. I just didn't have the guts to do anything about it until now."

"And what changed?" Regina asked.

"You asked me to search for a man I know doesn't deserve you," Emma said simply. "You asked me to track down a guy I can't believe you have a future with. If there's anything that's going to finally make me confess my feelings to you, it's seeing you still torn up and upset over a guy who frankly doesn't deserve a second thought."

"Robin is a good man," Regina snapped. "He was there for me. He believes in my goodness."

"And so do I," Emma snapped back. "And I've never chosen anyone over you. I would never chose anyone over you, Regina."

"What about Hook?"

Emma faltered. What about Hook? How had she let things go so far with the pirate when all along she was still completely in love with Regina? And how had Hook not noticed?

"I was lonely," she shrugged.

"And you decided to jump into bed with the first man who paid you any attention instead of, oh, I don't know, talking to someone you _actually_ like about how you feel?" The sarcasm literally dripped from every word.

"And how would that conversation have gone?" Emma replied. "You hated me, Regina. How the hell was I supposed to have approached you when you were constantly trying to run me out of town? What, you're saying that if I had come to your office and told you I thought you were the sexiest, most interesting and wonderfully powerful woman I'd ever met you wouldn't have run Sidney's sheriff campaign against me and instead we'd -,"

"Wait what?" Regina interrupted. "You've … you've liked me since then?"

"I've liked you since the moment I saw you," Emma said, her voice suddenly exhausted. "I knew the day I met you that what I felt for you was … different. Even through that first year when you were trying to keep Henry from me and then the second year when you were trying to keep me and my entire family from Henry, I knew."

"How?" Regina asked. "I mean, how did this happen?"

"True Love has a sense of humour?" Emma shrugged. "Honestly, Regina, I don't know how it happened. All I know is that I fell head over heels in love with you and I'm still doing somersaults down the hill. And to be honest, I'm not sure I want to stop. Yes, it was torture seeing you with Robin but you were happy and that's all I want for you, even if I'm not the one making you happy. But I can't go and look for him for you. I can't bring back the man who left the most incredible woman in the world. I can't."

Regina sucked in a deep, shuddering breath and leaned back against the railings. Her brain was going into overdrive, trying to process everything she had just learned and scanning back through all her interactions with the woman before her over the past four years. The fierce loyalty, the lingering looks, the almost painfully earnest eyes, the unnecessary touches.

"Oh."

There was nothing more to say. No word was powerful enough to convey the realisation which had just washed over Regina. She looked up at Emma once more and gave her a small, almost apologetic, smile.

"Can I … have some time?" Regina asked. "To think things through, you know."

"Take as long as you need," Emma said at once. "I'll be waiting."

Regina nodded and opened her mouth to speak but just then the door of the apartment was wrenched open and Henry's face emerged.

"Moms, August is awake."

"I have to go back to the villains but … call me later?" Regina said as Emma made to head into the apartment.

There was pause and then Emma's face broke into a wide smile. "I'll call you later," she confirmed with a nod of her head before she disappeared from the hall, leaving Regina more confused that she had ever been in her life.

But somewhere, deep down inside her, she felt it. A tiny, warm pulse … of happiness.


	16. 04-17 - Best Laid Plans

A/N: imagine a pre-established SwanQueen relationship and pretend Hook and Robin don't exist. Not too much to ask is it?

* * *

"Sorry," Regina said, stepping back from her son and forcing the corners of her mouth upwards. "Sorry. I'm just not sure … when I'll be back to see you. But don't worry, I'll be fine."

She leaned in and kissed Henry softly on the cheek. Turning, she smiled tightly at Emma before she walked away. Emma hesitated for a moment and then followed. Henry watched his mothers go, shaking his head and wondering when they were going to admit to him that they were together.

"Regina, wait," Emma called out as she jogged out onto the porch of the Author's house.

The brunette stopped in her tracks and seconds later the younger woman appeared in front of her, pulling her into a rib-crushing hug. Regina squeezed her back, breathing in the familiar, comforting cinnamon scent she had come to love. Emma burrowed her face in Regina's soft hair, trying to compose herself. When she eventually pulled away, her eyes were glassy.

"Oh, Emma," Regina said, reaching up to cup her cheek, her thumb brushing soothingly over the smooth skin.

"I'm sorry," Emma said, almost angrily wiping away the first tear to fall, as if she hated herself for breaking down. "I just … I'm scared."

It was an admission. The two women had finally, after years of knowing each other, begun to truly share their emotions with one another but it was still a new experience. Every time Emma let Regina in a little further, the brunette glowed with pride at the trust she had won from a woman who had spent most of her life protecting herself with walls. Now however, those walls were coming down.

"I'll be fine," Regina assured her, as she had assured their son seconds before. She wasn't sure if she believed what she was saying herself but she needed Emma and Henry to believe it. She needed them to believe in her. "I know what I'm doing with those four and I can promise you I'm handling the situation. Plus, I know you'd come in all guns blazing if I asked you to."

"In a heartbeat," Emma said, stepping closer to Regina again and pressing a quick kiss to her lips.

"But I won't need you to," Regina said. "They trust me now. They think I'm on their side. And we're close, Emma. We're so close to finding the Author and I just need a little more time and then I'll get my happy ending."

"I thought you'd already found it," Emma said, quirking an eyebrow as she rested her hands on Regina's hips and pulled their bodies flush together.

Smiling, Regina kissed Emma's grinning lips, relishing the taste of her girlfriend's mouth as their tongues delicately caressed one another. Her hands slid into Emma's hair, fisting in the blonde curls and pulling Emma tightly against her mouth.

"I have found it," Regina nodded when they broke apart. "But that doesn't mean I don't need to protect it. If they succeed in finding the Author before we do, if they make him change the way the book works so villains win and heroes lose, then that's it."

"That's what?" Emma asked, her fingers sliding around to interlink at the base of Regina's spine.

"We'll be over," Regina shrugged. "If neither of us are going to have our happy endings, then we won't be together."

"That won't happen," Emma said, another chaste kiss landing on Regina's worried lips. "I won't let it. They can't split us up, Regina. I don't care what their plan for the Author is, I won't leave you."

"You might not have a choice," Regina said sadly.

Emma looked into the concerned eyes before her and enveloped Regina in a hug once more. It was going to be ok. They were going to do this. She stroked up and down Regina's back, her fingers rubbing what she hoped were reassuring circles against the tense brunette.

"I should go," Regina said after about a minute but she made no move to pull away.

Eventually it was Emma who stepped backwards, releasing Regina and taking a deep breath.

"Call me when you can?" Emma asked.

"Of course," Regina said. "And let me know if you find anything in the meantime."

Emma nodded and gave a forced smile.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Regina repeated.

Their parting kiss was slow and sweet, both women trying to push thoughts of when they might meet again from their minds. Tongues slid carefully, reverently over lips and into mouths, willing the other woman to come back to them, to return to their happy endings. Regina didn't want that kiss to ever end. But she knew it needed to.

Emma let out a little whimper when Regina finally pulled away. Smiling sadly, the brunette turned and walked down the steps and towards her car. She didn't look back. She couldn't, not without her heart breaking at the forlorn expression on the blonde's face.

Emma watched until Regina's car drove out of sight. When the black Mercedes rounded the corner, she leaned heavily on the railing and sighed.

"Mom?"

"Hey kid," Emma said, glancing round and smiling weakly at the teenager who was walking towards her.

Henry rested his forearms beside Emma's and they both looked out into the forest beyond the house.

"She'll be ok, you know," Henry said after a long silence. "She's a hero now, right? And we both know that heroes always win."


	17. 04-19 - Sympathy for the De Vil

A/N: there were no SwanQueen scenes in episode 18. I know, it's terrible! Anyway, on with episode 19!

* * *

"Things are different in New York. And without your magic you …." The blonde trailed off. "Listen if you won't take me with you, I want you to take this." She held out her Sheriff-issued glock. "I hope you don't have to use it but I want you to stay safe."

"Emma," Regina said, "I'll be fine. Much as I'm sure I would enjoy shooting Zelena in the face, I'm not going to. I'm not that person any more, remember?"

"It's not Zelena I'm worried about," Emma shrugged. "I mean, I am, but I know you can handle her. No, it's everyone else in New York. If scumbag people sense you're afraid or vulnerable, you could be seen as a target for mugging or … worse."

"Do I look afraid to you?" Regina asked, folding her arms and smirking slightly.

"Hardly," Emma said with a huff of laugher. "But as you know, the world outside of Storybrooke is very different. Please, just take it."

Regina hesitated before finally reaching out and taking the proffered gun. She eyed the weapon suspiciously before slipping it inside her handbag.

"Thanks."

"Of course," Emma said, smiling slightly.

There was a pause, neither woman knowing quite what to say next.

"How are you feeling?" Emma said after a while. "You know, about seeing him again?"

Regina shrugged. "Ok, I guess. It'll be strange and awkward but I have to go and rescue Robin regardless of the fact that he chose Marian over me. Who knows what Zelena has planned for him. She is quite literally insane."

"Are you … are you going to tell him? About us?" Emma asked, her fingers fidgeting slightly with the hem of her jacket.

"Are you going to tell Hook?" Regina shot back, eyebrow arched.

"No," Emma admitted.

"Then I see no reason to tell my _ex-_ boyfriend about a foolish one night stand if you're not going to tell your current boyfriend about it," Regina replied.

"Foolish?"

"Yes, Emma," Regina sighed. "I thought we'd agreed that what happened between us was a bad idea, resulting from too much of my apple cider and the realisation that we both have terrible taste in men."

"We did," Emma nodded. "But that doesn't mean it was foolish."

"Then what does it mean?" Regina asked. "Because from where I'm standing you're still involved with that metal-handed lecherous man and not about to leave him any time soon."

"Is that what you want?" Emma asked, stepping closer to Regina who stood stock still. "Is that what you want me to do, Regina? To end things between me and Hook? Because I will. If you want to give us a chance, just say the word and I'll do it."

"I want you to do what you want," Regina said, looking up into the bright green eyes now mere inches from her own. "I'm not going to make your decisions for you. I'm not going to tell you to end your relationship. If you want to do that, then you have to decide to do so on your own."

"But if I did," Emma pressed on. "If I did end things, would we … could we be together?"

Regina bit her lip and glanced away from the earnest face before her.

"I don't know," she admitted quietly.

"But is that what you want?" Emma asked, stepping even closer so almost all space between their bodies was eclipsed.

"I think you know what I want," Regina whispered, her deep brown eyes wide and vulnerable.

Emma leaned down and pressed her lips softly to Regina's, moaning at the way her body thrummed with excitement at the connection. It had been over a month since their night together and Emma hadn't realised how desperate she had been to feel the other woman against her once more. She gripped Regina's hips, pulling their bodies flush together as Regina's fingers threaded through her hair, stroking the nape of her neck as their lips parted.

Emma walked Regina blindly backwards until the Mayor's ass bumped into the edge of her Mercedes. Sliding her hands up beneath Regina's coat, Emma pulled the brunette towards her, their pelvises flush together. Regina kissed Emma harder as she felt a thigh nudge its way between her legs. Her tongue pushed into Emma's mouth, a faint hint of coffee lingering inside as she delved deeper. Emma whimpered, rocking her leg further forward until she could almost feel the heat from Regina's core through her jeans.

"Emma, wait," Regina breathed out when the kiss ended.

Emma didn't move, her hands still gripping the cream sweater and her leg firmly planted between Regina's. She knew what she was doing, what they had done together, was wrong. She knew it wasn't fair on Hook. But that didn't mean she could stop feeling the way she did about the woman before her. That didn't mean heat wasn't coiling low in her belly as she felt Regina's soft body pressed so tightly against her own. So she cocked her head to one side, waiting patiently for the brunette to gather her thoughts.

"I want you," Regina said. Emma rolled her eyes at the obvious statement before gesturing to the non-existent space between their bodies. "I do want you, Emma. But … I have to leave. I have to go to New York now."

"Surely it won't matter if you're a little late," Emma said, hooking a finger into the high polo neck of Regina's knitwear and tugging it down so she could pepper the newly exposed skin with kisses. "Surely," she said with a kiss to Regina's jaw, "Robin can wait," another kiss landed just behind Regina's ear, "a little longer."

Regina shuddered at the sensation as Emma's tongue traced the delicate shell of her ear. She gripped Emma's jacket and pulled the blonde towards her once more. She could practically hear the blonde smirking against her skin.

They tumbled through the door of the mansion, the heavy wood bouncing off the wall before Emma kicked it shut with her heel. Their journey up the stairs was interspersed with heavy make-out sessions and by the time they reached the landing, Emma was wearing only her jeans and bra, Regina's own dress tangled around her ankles as she stepped out of it and continued to push Emma towards her bedroom.

Emma's back landed on the soft, crisp linen and she gazed in wonder at the woman now stalking towards her, deftly unclasping her own bra and dropping it casually on the floor just before she crawled up over Emma's body and claimed her lips in a heated, passionate kiss. Emma rolled them over quickly. She had never been a bottom. Regina hadn't either but she was content enough to allow Emma to worship her breasts, blonde hair tickling her chest as Emma's mouth sucked hard on each nipple, teeth grazing over the sensitive buds before a tongue swirled around each tip.

Shedding her jeans, Emma looked up the bed with hooded eyes, moisture from her own mouth still glistening on Regina's chest as she watched the brunette settle herself more comfortably against the pillows. Quickly removing her underwear, Emma all but launched herself on top of Regina again, their teeth knocking together in her enthusiasm. Neither woman complained.

Emma began to lay a trail of kisses down Regina's body, tracing the line of her collarbone, down between the valley of her breasts and over her smooth, flat stomach. The underwear was hurriedly pushed down toned legs and Emma began to kiss her way back up, from Regina's ankle bone, over her calves, behind her knee and towards the apex of her thighs.

"Hurry up, Emma," Regina said through gritted teeth as a slick tongue danced teasingly towards her inner thigh. Her core throbbed in anticipation.

"All in good time, my Queen," Emma mumbled against smooth skin.

"I don't have time. I have to go and save Robin," Regina huffed, flopping back against the pillow with a sexually frustrated sigh.

The kisses stopped. Nothing else followed. Confused, Regina peered down her body and saw a dark look on Emma's face.

"What?" she asked, propping herself up on her elbows and frowning at the blonde's expression.

"Don't mention your ex-boyfriend when I'm about to fuck you," Emma all but growled.

"Oh for goodness sake, Emma. We're not together any more. I'm going there to save him because I'm a hero now, not because I want him back. Anyway, you're the one still sleeping with that pirate every night."

Emma reeled back on her heels and climbed off the bed. She scooped up her underwear and began to get dressed. Regina sat up too, tugging a pillow over her naked form as a feeling of exposure and vulnerability swept over her.

"Emma, wait," Regina said, trying to stop the blonde in her movement as she picked up her jeans and began to untangle them. "I'm sorry."

"No, you're right," Emma said without looking up. "I'm cheating on Hook and it isn't fair. I can't do that to him, Regina. He deserves better."

"It's not your fault," Regina offered.

"What isn't?" Emma asked distractedly as she tugged on her trousers, jumping a little to help wedge herself into the skin tight material.

"We can't help who we fall for," Regina said, her voice quiet.

Emma buttoned her jeans up and sighed, running her hand through her tangled hair before she finally met Regina's gaze. "No," she answered. "No, we can't. But that doesn't mean I'm not doing something wrong. I'll talk to Hook, Regina. I'll end things with him. But until then, maybe we should stay away from each other and avoid any of this." Sh gestured to Regina's still-naked form and the rumpled bedsheets.

"Well since I'm headed to New York right now, I don't think that will be too difficult," the brunette said, sliding out of bed herself and beginning to get dressed. "I'm sorry, Emma. I didn't mean to force you into anything today."

"You weren't forcing me," Emma assured her, sitting on the edge of the bed and trying hard not to watch the naked figure slowly covering up again. "I wanted to be with you again, too. I just … remembered Hook."

Regina smiled sadly. "You're a good woman, Emma. And I'll wait for you. For as long as it takes, I'll be waiting."

Emma nodded her understanding. "Thanks. And I'm sorry."

"I won't be gone from town long. I'll let you know when I get there and what happens after I find Zelena," Regina said just as a chime from her phone sounded through the room. Glancing at the screen she frowned. "It's Henry. Video message," she said.

Emma fished out her own phone. "Must be a thing now, I've got one too."

* * *

A/N: And back to the show!


	18. 04-20 - Lily

A/N: well I had to make they have sex in the back of the car, didn't I!

* * *

"But maybe I need you," Regina reasoned. "You lived in New York, I've barely been outside of Storybrooke. How about it, Swan? How about we make today the day we both beat fate?"

Emma regarded the haughty woman perched on the edge of her desk. Her gaze flickered back to the computer screen where Lily's details were still displayed.

"Fine," Emma huffed. "But I'm driving."

Regina scowled. "If we're going on a road trip, the least we can do is drive in comfort. I don't think my back has fully recovered from the last journey in that contraption you call a car."

"I got the springs fixed," Emma assured. "And I'd rather take my car because then I'm the one driving."

Regina looked affronted. "There's nothing wrong with my driving!"

Emma chuckled. "Yeah, whatever. We leave tomorrow."

* * *

Regina groaned as yet another 90s hip hop record started up. Emma ignored her and kept her eyes on the road. It was late in the morning and the women had been on the road for several hours already. They had also had several arguments, the latest of which had resulted in Regina not speaking to Emma for the past thirty minutes. The silence was palpable, despite the beat throbbing through the speakers.

Eventually, Regina leaned forward and punched off the stereo.

"I'm sorry," Regina said when Emma scowled at her.

"Then turn it on," she countered. It seemed an easy enough solution in her mind.

"No, not for the relief I have granted our ears," Regina replied. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier."

"Oh."

There was another pause, both women wondering whether they should speak first or just wait to see what the other had to say.

"Why are you sorry?" Emma asked.

"I'm sorry for being mad at you for your opinion. You're entitled to it, after all," Regina said.

"But you still think I'm wrong?" Emma pressed.

Regina sighed. "I see your point."

"So you're not going to make me drive all the way to New York after we find Lily?" Emma asked. Her back was already aching from the old car seat but she wasn't going to tell Regina that.

"That's not what I said," Regina countered. "I see your point about Robin but he still deserves our help. At the very least, he doesn't deserve my psychotic sister masquerading as his dead wife for the rest of his life."

"But you accept that he doesn't deserve you?" Emma asked.

Regina looked out of the window, avoiding even looking at the blonde. Emma sighed. Spotting a lay-by up ahead, she pulled off the quiet road and killed the engine. Shifting in her seat, she waited until the pair of dark brown eyes she had come to know so well finally met her own.

"I don't want to upset you again, Regina," Emma started when the brunette finally looked at her. "But I can't stand by and watch you pine over a man who doesn't deserve for you to spend even a minute of your life thinking about him."

"It's not that simple," Regina said, her voice thin and tired. She always sounded that way when she spoke about Robin and it broke Emma's heart.

"He chose her over you," Emma reminded the brunette gently, regretting as she did how she had shouted those exact words at the older woman mere minutes before. "He made his choice and it wasn't you. And that was the biggest mistake of his life. It would have been even if Marian hadn't been Zelena. But what I'm trying to say is that if you guys get back together, you'll always think of yourself as second choice. You're better than that, Regina. You should be someone's number one."

"Yes and there are so many people queuing up to choose me," Regina said wryly.

"You'd be surprised," Emma said. "I've overheard several conversation in the Rabbit Hole where people have been admiring you. Crassly, admittedly, but admiration none the less."

"I don't need to be told I'm desirable," Regina said with a roll of her eyes. "I need someone I can trust and love who trusts and loves me back. That's not easy to find. Not for a former Evil Queen."

"Well I managed it," Emma said without thinking.

A hand clapped over a startled mouth, the sound reverberating almost comically through the car. But it was too late. The words has escaped. Regina's wide eyes stared at her friend, her brain struggling to process the information she had just received.

"What?" came the shuddered whisper after almost a full minute.

Emma closed her eyes and sighed. Her hand fell back to her lap and fiddled there, fingers twisting together as she waited for the wrath which was about to come her way.

"I didn't want to tell you like this."

"Like what?"

"I didn't want to blurt it out in a car on the side of the road when I'm still with Hook and we're about to go and rescue your ex-boyfriend. Talk about bad timing," Emma grumbled, dropping her head onto the rim of the steering wheel.

"And what would have been a good time?" Regina asked. She didn't really care about the answer to the question but she needs to buy herself some time whilst she processed the bombshell Emma had just dropped on her.

"Erm, I don't know. Maybe over a romantic candlelit dinner or after we'd just saved the town from the Queens of Darkness and are going for a celebratory walk on the beach with our son?" Emma suggested.

"And how do you think Henry would react to that revelation?" Regina said.

"He knows," Emma said, lifting her head from the steering wheel at looking at Regina for the first time in minutes.

"He knows what?"

"That I love you."

There was another heavy silence.

"How?"

"Actually, he was the one who told me," Emma said, settling back in her seat slightly. "He picked up on what was between us before Neverland. Something about the way we managed to combine our magic to save Storybrooke and destroy the trigger. He attributed it to True Love, which of course is ridiculous, but I guess the idea of us … together, was planted there. And then we actually started working together in Neverland and we because friends, I suppose. It wasn't until I had … a dream about you and me that I realised quite how strong my feelings had grown."

"A dream?" Regina frowned. Emma blushed. "Oh."

"I'm sorry," Emma said, moving to reach for Regina but thinking better of it and instead placing her hand over the gear stick. "I know this is bad timing and we don't have to talk about it. We can ignore this whole conversation if you want and get back to this road trip."

As Emma's finger moved to the ignition, Regina's own hand encircled her wrist, stilling her movement.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Regina asked, her eyes wide.

"Tell you what?"

"How you felt? What Henry said? Anything, Emma. Why didn't you tell me?" Her voice was almost pleading and her grip on Emma's wrist tightened.

"I was scared," Emma said quietly. "All my life I've been rejected by people so why would this have been any different? If I had told you it would have ruined our budding friendship and I'd have been alone again and still in love with you. Surely it was better to keep quiet and continue being in your life in some way, right?"

"How do you know?"

"How do I know what?"

"That I would have rejected you," Regina said, sliding her hand down Emma's arm so their fingers interlinked.

Emma said nothing. She just stared at the olive fingers laced with her own, a thumb rubbing softly over the back of her hand. Regina squeezed gently and at last Emma looked up.

"I wouldn't have rejected you, Emma," Regina said quietly.

"Really?" Emma whispered, her eyes wide.

"Really," she nodded with a smile. "I've thought about us too. I realised when we made that eclipse happen in Neverland that there was something between us and ever since then … yeah, I've thought about being with you. But then Hook got in the way and Robin was, well, he was a distraction from the fact that I'd waited too long to tell you how I feel I suppose."

"And how do you feel?"

Regina reached out her free hand and cupped Emma's cheek. The skin beneath her touch was cool and smooth and Emma leaned into the contact, relishing the connection to the beautiful woman before her. She felt Regina pulling her closer just as the brunette also leaned in. The moment their lips touched, everything else faded from existence.

Eyelids fluttered closed as lips parted tenderly, capturing the other mouth. Emma's heart was in her mouth as she moved her lips slowly, hardly daring to believe that she was finally kissing Regina. For her part, Regina was focusing on the feeling of Emma's mouth against her own, resisting the urge to shout with joy when Emma's lips parted and accepted her questing tongue.

The moment their tongues touched, it was like a dam broke. Emma scrambled across the centre console and quickly straddled the brunette, hands landing on her hips and pulling their bodies closer. Regina's tongue explored her mouth, tasting the hidden depths of the sheriff before Emma took control, angling Regina's head backwards as she began to dominate. Fingernails dug into Emma's hips when sharp teeth scraped over her lip, a moan reverberating through their bodies at the mixture of pleasure and pain.

"Get in the back," Emma mumbled against swollen lips.

Usually, Regina would have immediately rejected such a common, cheap idea but with Emma's breath hot on her neck, she knew she needed to have the blonde far more desperately than she needed a comfortable bed upon which to lay. She climbed off and squeezed her way between the seats. Emma followed, landing on top of Regina who was lying awkwardly in the back. Emma suddenly remembered how inconvenient and uncomfortable car sex was. She smiled apologetically down at Regina but the brunette didn't seem to mind the way the blonde's body was pressed heavily against her own. She just pulled Emma's mouth back to hers and continued their heated kiss.

There wasn't enough room for clothes to be shed but Regina soon found her dress pushed up around her waist and her pantyhose tugged downwards. Emma's hand was hovering on the inside of her thigh, caressing the skin there and seemingly waiting for a signal that it was ok for her to continue. The rocking up of Regina's hips and a breathy moan was all it took to spur her into action.

Her hand slid inside the brunette's lace panties and down the smooth mound beneath. Regina cried out as fingers bumped abruptly into her clit, her sex burning with desire as she felt Emma touching her for the first time. She arched her back, Emma's mouth at once latching onto her neck as she delved between wet folds. Regina's fingers raked up and down Emma's back as she felt two fingers push deftly inside her aching core.

"Fuck," she cried out, when the heel of Emma's palm pressed firmly against her clit.

The movement stilled, Emma's mouth wrenched away from the darkening mark on Regina's neck to gaze worriedly into brown eyes. Regina's entire body trembled as she smiled and nodded for Emma to continue. Grinning back, Emma covered Regina's mouth with a heated kiss as her hand continued to pump inside the lace panties.

The angle was awkward but they made it work. Emma thrust her fingers steadily in and out of Regina's tight, wet channel, now slick with juices. Her legs were as wide apart as they could be, allowing Emma to push deeper inside, curling against her ridged wall as she pulled out. The pressure on her clit built steadily, Emma's hand firmly wriggling against it, stimulating the bundle of nerve until Regina thought she was on fire, arousal coiling deep inside her and bursting for release.

Regina screamed into Emma's mouth as she came, her body vibrating with pleasure as Emma worked her to her peak and pushed her over the edge. She tumbled down to soothing words, gentle kisses, and tender fingers still caressing her sensitive sex.

"Wow," Regina said after a while, eyes still closed in a daze.

"Not quite how I imagined our first time," Emma admitted, pulling her glistening fingers from Regina's core and glancing around the back seat of her bug, "but I'm not complaining."

Regina opened her mouth to answer but the sound of a car passing their parked vehicle reminded both women they were still on the side of the road. Emma hastily sat up, smoothing down her hair and then helping Regina rearrange her own clothes. When the pantyhose were back in place and the dress pulled down once more, Emma leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Regina's lips.

"We should get moving," Regina pointed out. "We've got a lot of miles to cover if you want to get to this address you have for Lily."

Emma nodded and climbed back through to the front seats. Regina followed. Before she began the car, Emma turned towards the woman beside her, suddenly shy.

"I don't regret what just happened, Regina," Emma said. "I know the circumstances weren't great and my timing sucks. But I want us to … talk about this. Some time soon."

"Like tonight?" Regina said, eyes dark. "In a hotel room, for example?"

Emma swallowed. "Um … yeah. That sounds … perfect."

Regina smiled widely and leaned across to place one final kiss to the pale lips of the blonde. Emma sighed into the contact and reached a hand to the nape of Regina's neck to pull her closer. It was several minutes before they parted, cheeks flushed and breathing heavy.

"Come on," Regina said, settling back in her seat and looking out onto the road before them. "Let's go and find Maleficent's daughter."


	19. 04-21 - Mother

A/N: Amazingly there was not a single line of dialogue between our two ladies but at least Emma was in the same room for this one. SwanQueen friendship all the way!

* * *

"Everyone pack up. You too," Regina added, turning to a smug looking Zelena. "We're going back to Storybrooke. Tonight."

Emma glanced between the couple stood in the doorway and Zelena, wondering how uncomfortable that upcoming car journey was going to be. She stood back as Robin walked further into the room, beginning to pack up the few possessions he had acquired during his time in New York. When he disappeared into the bedroom, Regina jerked her head at Emma, gesturing for the two of them to step out into the hall.

Zelena rolled her eyes at her sister's bossiness and slumped onto the couch as the door slammed behind them, her hands caressing her still flat stomach.

"Are you ok?" Emma asked, immediately pulling Regina into a hug.

"No," Regina said, collapsing into the embrace she hadn't known she so desperately needed.

She breathed deeply, inhaling the reassuring, familiar scent of her friend. Hugging was something which had entered into their relationship months before but was still a rare occurrence. Emma's arms tightened around her trembling frame as they stood their, both finding comfort in the contact between them. Eventually, Regina pulled away, wiping the tears from her face.

"She's pregnant, Emma," she said in a quiet voice. "My green-skinned sister is pregnant with my True Love's baby."

"I know," Emma nodded slowly. "And I can't imagine how you're feeling right now. But you and Robin, you'll get through this, right?"

"Will we?" Regina asked. "How? Robin has always wanted more children. He'd said as much to me back in Storybrooke. And now Zelena can give that to him. They're going to be a family in the way he and I never will be."

"You don't know that," Emma said. "Maybe in time, when the seemingly endless magical threats to Storybrooke calm down, the two of you will have a child of your own."

Regina shook her head and leaned back against the wall of the corridor. Her head hung down. She looked defeated and Emma's heart broke at the sight of her friend's misery.

"I can't have children."

The words were so quiet, Emma almost missed them. Her mouth dropped open and she instinctively reached for Regina's hand, squeezing softly.

"I'm sorry," Emma offered, knowing the punitive words would do little to make the clearly distraught woman feel any better. "I didn't know."

"No one does," Regina admitted. "It happened a long time ago and I've come to accept it. In fact, I never wanted more children. I have Henry. But Robin does and I wanted to give that to him."

"Maybe … I don't know, with modern medicine or something, it might be possible?" Emma suggested. She didn't know much about IVF but she was aware of significant technological advances in recent years.

Regina was shaking her head however. "No, it won't work. I … the reason I can't have children is because of magic."

Emma's eyebrows rose. She had never heard of someone being infertile because of magic. But then, she supposed she shouldn't be surprised. And she had an idea as to who had cast such a terrible curse.

"Cora?"

"Indirectly," Regina nodded. "I mean, her manipulative plans drove me to drink the potion which made me barren."

"You … drank it by choice?" Emma asked, even more surprised. "You didn't want to have children?"

Regina laughed darkly. "The Evil Queen was never going to be a good mother, Emma. I was selfish, angry, and cared about no one but myself. You know me in Storybrooke. You don't know what I was like back then. Believe me, I was doing any potential offspring a favour. Although at the time I was motivated by getting one over on my own mother."

"You'd have made a great mother," Emma assured. "You did here, right?"

"I'm different here," Regina shrugged. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. I can't undo what has been done. I'll never have my own children, that's the end of it."

"Does Robin know?" Emma asked.

Regina shook her head, glancing back towards the closed apartment door. "I haven't told him," she said quietly.

"Maybe now isn't the best time anyway," Emma said. "You've both got more than enough of your plate in terms of repairing your relationship before adding this into the mix. But thank you for telling me," she added.

Regina smiled weakly. "You're the only one who knows in this world," she said. "And I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone."

"You mean Hook?"

Regina shrugged.

"I promise I won't tell a soul, especially not Hook. It's really none of his business and we both know he's the worst gossip in Storybrooke."

"Aside from your mother," Regina pointed out.

Emma laughed. "Yes, aside from her. Come on, let's go and see if they're all packed and we can get on the road. The sooner we get out of this world and back to Storybrooke, the better."


	20. 04-22 - Operation Mongoose Part One

A/N: I split this double episode because I wanted to write two chapters for you. Pretend the other characters weren't in the library with these ladies please! It's clearly NSFW!

* * *

"Tomorrow, thanks to Gold and the Author, I could wake up a talking frog!" Regina said, slamming another blank book closed and opening the next.

"I'd kiss you back to the queen you are," Emma assured her, discarding her own empty book.

Regina scowled. Trust her girlfriend to make jokes. After years of living in Storybrooke, there was still so much about magic the blonde had yet to learn.

"It won't work like that, Emma," Regina sighed.

"And it won't happen, Regina," the blonde countered, standing up and reaching for some more heavy tomes. "Gold and the Author aren't going to win. We're going to stop them and your happy ending is going to stay right where it is."

"Oh yes?" Regina asked, flopping into an armchair and running her hand through her hair. "And where is that happy ending?"

"Right here," Emma said, crossing the room and climbing into Regina's lap. "Hi."

She tilted Regina's chin up so their eyes locked and smiled reassuringly at the worried face below her. She kissed her tenderly, her lips moving softly as she tried to calm her girlfriend. Regina's frame was tense beneath her and Emma could practically feel her vibrating with worry. She kissed a little harder, her tongue invading the mouth and caressing inside. Regina's hands at last landed on Emma's own body, cupping her ass as she pulled her girlfriend closer to her. Emma moaned as she felt fingernails dig into her skin even through her jeans.

"Emma," Regina gasped, as the blonde moved from her mouth and began to plant soft, sucking kisses along her jawline. "We really should get back to searching for whatever the Author is writing."

"In a bit," Emma mumbled.

"Emma, we don't have much time," Regina protested, trying weakly to pull away from the mouth now tugging on her ear lobe.

Emma sat back, her eyes blown wide with arousal and a defiant smirk on her face.

"Regina, if we are indeed about to be thrust into a parallel universe in which we'll never be happy again, then at least let's enjoy the last few minutes we have in this one, ok?"

Regina looked up into the twinkling eyes above her and felt Emma's hips rock slightly against her thighs. Her core clenched in delight.

Her grip on Emma's butt tightened and seconds later their mouths were reconnected, the fury and passion of the kiss heightened as both women tried to push thoughts of their possible impending doom from their minds. As Emma began to slid Regina's jacket from her shoulders, she felt her own being tossed aside and cool hands slipping beneath her t-shirt and clawing lightly at the skin of her back.

Emma's heartbeat quickened as she heard the breathy whimper Regina made when her breasts were cupped and squeezed hard. The Mayor liked it rough sometimes. An idea popped into Emma's mind and she stood up at once, tugging a confused looking Regina after her and leading her over to the desk still strewn with empty books. Clearing a space with an exaggerated sweep of her arm, Emma turned back to Regina and gestured for the brunette to climb up. Regina raised an eyebrow but complied.

Perched on the edge of the high table, Regina's legs opened to allow Emma to stand between them, her arms encircling her body as their mouths joined once more. Fingers fumbled to unbutton her shirt and as soon as it had gone, her bra was unclasped.

"Lie back," Emma murmured, gently pushing on Regina's shoulders.

The former queen obeyed, for once. Emma smiled at Regina who was peering down her body as her slacks were unbuttoned and fingers hooked into the sides.

"Lift," Emma instructed, sweeping the material down toned legs.

Regina gasped quietly as her bare ass touched the cool wood of the table, Emma having removed her panties at the same time as her trousers. Glancing down her body, Regina's throat went dry when she realised Emma was kneeling between her legs, her bare, exposed sex mere inches from her mouth. She may no longer be the ruler of a kingdom but she certainly still got off on having someone submit to her.

All thoughts of Emma possibly not being the one in control were wiped from her mind however as a talented, hot, wet mouth covered her dripping cunt seconds later. She threaded her fingers through Emma's hair, pulling her even closer just as the blonde's tongue dipped inside her entrance.

Emma smirked into Regina's core as she felt the fingernails against her scalp. She focused however. Focused on giving Regina the best orgasm of her life. Her tongue glided between delicate folds, parting them and gathering up the juices which lay between before reaching Regina's clit. It was hard and exposed, waiting for the delicious torture which Emma was about to deliver. She flickered her tongue over it once, twice, three times. Regina arched into the touch, her back rising from the wood as she cried out.

Emma's arms wrapped around her thighs, hands pressed against the flat of Regina's abdomen and holding the already quaking body in place. Her mouth sealed around the throbbing clit, sucking softly as her tongue laved over it. She loved feeling the hard bud in her mouth, Regina's body completely at her mercy as the brunette gave over to the pleasure coursing through her veins.

Removing one arm which had been pinning Regina down, Emma deftly slid two fingers into Regina's sex, the channel expanding at once around the intrusion and clamping down hard as Regina cried out. Emma's mouth stayed where it was, mercilessly sucking on her swollen clit. A rhythm was quickly established, a steady pumping action as Emma reached deep inside the writhing body, her fingers grazing against the ridged walls as they pulled out before thrusting back in to meet Regina's rocking hips.

The fingers tangled in Emma's hair were almost painful but she didn't care. She couldn't even feel the half-moon crescents digging into her scalp because she was too focused on the orgasm now rippling through Regina. Her fingers were surrounded by hot, wet velvet, the clit was impossibly hard in her mouth and her face was coated with the sweet tang of Regina's come.

When the grip on her head relaxed, Emma placed one final kiss to the sensitive nub and pulled away. Wiping her face on the back of her hand, she stood and looked up at Regina. The brunette's eyes were half closed but as Emma licked her lips, a finger beckoned. Within seconds, Emma had discarded her remaining clothes and clambered onto the desk, crawling on all fours up until she could bend down and kiss Regina.

The brunette shivered in delight at the taste of herself on Emma's tongue and deepened the kiss, her core already twitching and eager for more. But it was Emma's turn first.

Regina's hands skated down Emma's sides, grasping her taut ass quickly before one slid between the parted legs. Emma mumbled incoherently into Regina's mouth as fingers brushed through her drenched sex. Having her tongue against Regina's core always made Emma incredibly turned on. She whimpered as she felt two, then three, fingers quickly slide inside her, and she bit down lightly on Regina's lip as the brunette began to pump steadily.

The kiss continued, smothering the sounds tumbling from Emma's lips. Regina's free hand had drifted to the blonde's breasts, hanging heavily above her. She tweaked the nipples in turn, hardening them further as she continued to thrust in and out of Emma's cunt. Emma gasped as the punishing pace between her legs and the painful pinches of her nipples mixed deliciously together and she felt her body hurtling towards an orgasm embarrassingly quickly.

Regina didn't seem to mind however and she stared up at Emma in awe as she threw her head back and cried out in ecstasy. Seconds later, her quaking arms collapsed and she landed hard on Regina's naked body. Their sweat slicked skin bothered neither of them as they lay there, Regina's arms encircling Emma as she panted her way through her recovery.

Eventually Emma became aware that the pillow she was using probably wanted to be able to breathe properly again and she rolled off, nestling her body against Regina's side at once. Regina turned her head, smiling dopily at the blonde.

"So that was …."

"A happy ending?" Regina said with a smirk.

Emma laughed. "Yeah," she nodded. "A very, very happy ending."

"Let's hope it isn't our last," Regina sitting up and looking around the study.

She had momentarily forgotten. They both had. But now the realisation of what they were doing in the Author's house crept back into their minds. With simultaneous sighs, both women slid from the desk and began to get dressed. Neither wanted to think how long it might be before they were together again.

Just as Regina reached for another book, Emma's hand encircled her wrist.

"Wha-?"

The question was cut of by a pair of lips. The kiss was far softer, far more delicate, and held far more meaning than anything the two had shared earlier. Regina's body hummed in delight, the sensation of being completely and utterly in love sweeping over her as she felt Emma pressed against her.

"Just remember," Emma said when she pulled away. "Heroes always win."


	21. 04-23 - Operation Mongoose Part Two

A/N: final chapter. And yes, two in one day. Because I'm going away and I wanted to finish this and upload the first chapter of my new AU "Always Alone". I hope you like both this and the upcoming chapter! Big love!

* * *

"Let me guess, you're his other mother," Regina said before she went back to packing her case.

"Yes, and your wife."

Regina froze and turned slowly on the spot, staring open mouthed at the blonde woman before her.

"Excuse me?" she said, convinced she had misheard.

"Yeah," Emma nodded. "After years of bickering and awkward friendship you finally confessed to me that the reason you had tried to run me out of town when I first arrived was because you thought I was insanely attractive. We got married last month but then the author showed up and disrupted our lives again. We didn't even get a chance to go on our honeymoon."

Regina slowly sank into a chair, her brain trying desperately to process what had just been said to her as well as formulating a plan to escape from the crazy people who had invaded her home. This unknown woman from an alternate universe had shown up and was claiming to be her wife. And she had a son, a son who was waiting outside for them so they could break some curse and return to … somewhere. She leaned forwards, arms on her knees and rubbed her face with her hands, trying to think.

"Regina?"

A pair of boots appeared in her line of vision and she raised her head, meeting the simultaneously amused and concerned gaze of Emma.

"You ok?"

"Nope," Regina said, standing up and pushing past the blonde to continue her packing. "There's a psycho woman in my cave trying to convince me we're a family and I need to leave in ten minutes. I'm not ok."

"Come on, just listen to me."

"You're insane," she snapped at last. "You and Henry are completely insane. I don't have a son. We're not married. I'm not the Mayor of a town I created using some dark curse. And I'm not going to help you break this new curse by kissing my arch-nemesis, Robin Hood."

"No, you're not," Emma frowned. "Who told you that?"

"Henry," Regina said. "He told me Robin was my True Love and then, coincidentally, I met him today."

"And?"

"And he smells like forest and is engaged to a prissy redhead," Regina replied.

"Well he's not your True Love anyway," Emma said. "I am."

"Of course you are," Regina snarked. "You're my wife, after all."

"Yes," Emma nodded.

"Then why did Henry send me after Robin Hood?"

This time it was Emma's turn to sink into the chair. She looked tired, Regina realised, and her whole posture appeared defeated.

"Henry isn't all that happy about us being together," she said at last.

"Our son doesn't want his mothers to be together?" Regina said, pushing aside how crazy the sentence sounded to her own ears because, for some reason, her curiosity about this family which had tumbled into her life, was piqued.

"Not exactly," Emma sighed. "It's more that he thinks we'll hurt each other. Neither of us have the best track records when it comes to relationships and Henry seems to think that together we're a recipe for disaster."

Regina listened, waiting for Emma to continue.

"He didn't know for months when we first got together. And then he found out without us telling him. I think he felt betrayed or something, I don't know. But ever since then he's been … reluctant to support us. Even when we got married, he wasn't convinced it was going to last."

"So he wants me to kiss Robin Hood under this new curse to prove that we're not True Loves?" Regina asked.

Emma nodded, looking up at the woman whom she knew so well and smiling weakly. "Yeah, that's about right."

"But it won't work? I mean, if I was … to kiss," she made a face, "Robin, this supposed curse wouldn't break?"

"No," Emma sighed.

"Then what will break it?"

"Our kiss," Emma said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "So I don't know why we're still sitting around in a cave when we could be back in our world with central heating and indoor plumbing."

Regina barked out a laugh. "So … you want me to kiss you to break a curse, at which point we'll be whisked away to a far off land where you and I are married and our teenage son disapproves of our relationship?"

"Yeah, sounds about right," Emma nodded. "And yes, I know that's a lot to ask you to believe but really all I need is for you to kiss me. If what I'm saying is the truth then you'll return to our wonderful life and if it isn't, then you'll have had a great kiss with a sexy blonde."

Emma winked and Regina rolled her eyes. If the blonde was telling the truth she couldn't understand how she could possibly have fallen for the other woman. True, she was attractive. But she was also annoying and abrupt and …

"Put that down," Regina snapped, snatching her bow out of Emma's hand.

"Sorry," Emma said. "You hate it when I touch your stuff at home too."

"This is my home," Regina huffed.

"No, it isn't," Emma implored. "Come on Gina. Just kiss me."

"Gina?"

"Yeah," Emma nodded.

"I let you call me Gina?" the brunette asked slowly.

"Um, yeah," Emma said. "You hated it at first though. You said it reminded you of your father because he called you it but over time you got used to it."

"My … my father?"

Emma smiled sadly. "Do you believe me now?"

Regina sank back into her chair, eyes filled with tears. She tried so hard not to think about her father and how he had died protecting her from Snow White. His kindly face swam before her eyes, and an echo of his voice calling out her nickname filtered through her ears.

Emma crouched down in front of her and reached out to wipe the tears away. Regina flinched but allowed the contact.

"I'm sorry," Emma offered. "I didn't mean to bring him up. I know how much you miss him in our world so I'm guessing you miss him a lot here too?"

"I do," Regina sniffed. "So much."

There was a long silence, Emma staying crouched before her wife.

"Look," she said after a while. "I don't mean to hurry you but if we could break this curse and get back to our old lives then I could make you blueberry pancakes and a strong cup of tea and cheer you up a bit. I don't think the comfort food here is quite the same."

Regina sighed and wiped her tear streaked face. She looked up at the green eyes before her and felt her heart skip a beat. Well, what did she have to lose?

"Um … ok then," she nodded, standing up and causing Emma to rise too.

"Thanks," Emma grinned, stepping closer and taking Regina's hands in her own.

The connection felt strange, but not entirely unpleasant. Emma smiled reassuringly at her as she reached up and brushed a lock of brown hair from her eyes. Fingers traced down her jawline and a shiver shot down Regina's spine.

"I love you," Emma murmured as she leaned in.

Their lips connected, the flesh soft and tender. Regina closed her eyes, parting her lips instinctively. As Emma's lower lip slid between her own, it happened. A pulse of magic, white hot and delicious, exploded from between their mouths, radiating through the cave and out into the Enchanted Forest. The kiss didn't stop however and Regina moaned in delight when Emma's hands wrapped around her and grasped her ass.

"Moms?"

They broke apart when they heard Henry's confused tone. Then they both did a double take. They were standing in the middle of Storybrooke high street, arms looped around each other and various residents of the town clambering to their feet from positions they appeared to landed in moments before.

"It worked?" Regina said, eyebrows raised.

"Did you doubt it?" Emma asked, turning back to her wife.

"Well, not Storybrooke Regina, of course," she said with a kiss to Emma's smirking lips. "But Bandit Regina? Yeah, she thought you were batshit crazy."

Emma laughed. "Thanks for that. But at least I was able to persuade you to kiss me even despite that. Clearly I'm just unbelievably attractive."

"And modest," Regina laughed.

"Moms," Henry repeated. "Did you guys break the curse?"

The two women turned towards their son together, arms linked around their backs.

"Yes kid," Emma nodded.

"We told you it was True Love, Henry," Regina said gently. "Do you believe now that we're both in this for the long haul."

Henry stood for a moment, worrying his lip between his teeth before he flung himself into his mothers' arms.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled into their shoulders.

"It's ok," Emma assured. "You were just trying to protect us."

"But you didn't need protecting," Henry said as he pulled away. "You're the Saviour and the Evil Queen. How did I not see it before? It makes complete sense that you two would be each other's happy endings. Only an idiot would fail to see the logic in that."


End file.
